Countries are transitioning to net-zero economies, with RBC predicting that 15% of the Canadian workforce will face disruptions over the next ten years. The federal government announced efforts to cut emissions by 40% by 2030 by creating incentives for companies adopting green technologies. More workers will be needed to develop, implement, and maintain green technologies so companies can stay competitive. Job descriptions for workers in non-manufacturing and -trades sectors will also change.
Which industries will be affected?
The sectors that will see the most significant changes are:
- Natural resources and agriculture
- Manufacturing and utilities
- Management
- Business, finance, and administration
- Natural and applied sciences
- Trades, transport, and equipment
- Education, law, and social services
- Sales and service
These changes include increased demand for existing roles, such as electricians and other trades, to upgrade and maintain green technologies. They will also rely on new skills from existing jobs, such as city planners and architects focusing on flood- and fire-resistant infrastructure. According to the report, 25% to 30% of skills in some existing jobs are already changing. Green job duties are creeping into the job descriptions of the above sectors on an industry-wide level, with responsibilities shifting even more for those at green companies.
What’s a green-collar worker?
Green-collar workers focus on increasing sustainability and decreasing factors like pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste that contribute to climate change. By 2030, there will be 40 million green-collar workers in renewable energy and energy systems efficiency in the United States.
Green-collar workers can be defined by their job tasks (e.g., environmental lawyer, solar panel installer, and environmental engineer) or their workplace (e.g., public transit workers and waste management employees). Workplaces actively shifting to green technologies or otherwise curbing their contributions to climate change are referred to as green companies.