The transition towards a ‘net-zero’ carbon economy will increase demand for new jobs and skills which contribute to reaching climate and environmental goals, commonly referred to as ‘green jobs’ and ‘green skills’ respectively. Areas where this demand is most visible include actively improving energy efficiency in both new and existing buildings, managing recycling and waste, promoting sustainable transport, and producing renewable energy. According to LinkedIn data, green jobs currently make up a third (33%) of job postings in the UK. Creating highly skilled jobs in green industries, and supporting more people to train for these roles can increase the UK’s productivity and is a key part of Nesta’s sustainable future mission.

Although individuals are enthusiastic about their work having a positive impact on the environment, the understanding of the terms ‘green jobs’ and ‘green skills’ is very limited and people often find it challenging to come up with specific examples of ‘green jobs’. This is an issue across all types of workers, but there is also evidence of a gender gap. For instance, a recent WorldSkills UK survey found that 72% of young women were unfamiliar with the term ‘green skills’, compared with 53% of young men. Other research uncovered that even though women’s overall perceptions of green roles were positive once they were introduced to the concept, many had not previously heard of the term ‘green jobs’.

Beyond awareness and understanding of green jobs and skills, recent research by Nesta and the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) found that women were also significantly less interested in developing ‘green skills’ than men. This is despite evidence that women act more pro-environmentally and are more concerned about sustainability than men. Without action, the gender gap observed in traditional technology and energy jobs is likely to replicate in the green economy. Boston Consulting Group’s projections estimate that by 2030, women will hold only 25% of global green jobs. This is not only an issue of gender equity in the green economy, but also of the UK's ability to meet demand for these roles.

The lower levels of understanding and interest among women towards ‘green jobs’ and ‘green skills’ might be linked to their underrepresentation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) disciplines, especially since many green jobs are based or expected to be created in STEM industries and people may thus spontaneously equate ‘green jobs’ and ‘green skills’ with ‘STEM jobs’ and ‘STEM skills’. However, recent qualitative research indicates that the issue extends beyond mere STEM capabilities; even women with STEM backgrounds often feel that they lack the right experience or qualifications to get a job in a green industry. This suggests that addressing the gender gap in the green economy is likely to involve more than simply encouraging women into STEM.

In essence, previous research examining ‘green jobs’ and ‘green skills’ in broad terms has been limited by a general lack of specificity, with many people unable to pinpoint what these terms entail. Consequently, this approach does not adequately capture the nuanced perceptions and decisions individuals make regarding employment in the green economy. For example, the reasons why someone chooses not to become a Heat Pump Installer may be significantly different to why someone chooses against becoming an Environmental Consultant. This underscores the need for a more targeted investigation into how individuals feel about specific green jobs, particularly those closely related to their educational and professional background.

In this project, we set out to understand a wide range of possible barriers to participation in the green labour market and how these barriers differ between men and women. Unlike previous studies that only addressed ‘green jobs’ and ‘green skills’, we investigated not only how people feel about the broad category of ‘green jobs’ but also how they feel about specific STEM and non-STEM roles within this category. Importantly, this project moved beyond the conventional narrative of ‘skill gaps’, especially in discussions about gender differences in STEM careers. By focusing on participants who already have relevant educational qualifications and professional experience, we aimed to identify whether men and women face different barriers that go beyond just differences in skills. This approach offers more nuanced insights into why fewer women might be pursuing green jobs, even when qualified for them. Our ultimate goal is to identify solutions that can most effectively narrow the gender gap in the green economy, contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable future of the sector.