Green Careers Week 2024

Green Careers Week (4-8 November 2024) is a nationwide initiative aimed at raising awareness among students about the diverse and impactful career opportunities within the environmental and sustainability sectors. With climate change and ecological degradation at the forefront of global concerns, Green Careers Week empowers students to explore green careers that are not only vital for protecting the planet but are also growing rapidly in demand. From renewable energy specialists and conservationists to green architects and sustainable product designers, these careers offer fulfilling paths that contribute to a healthier, more sustainable future.

We have created some FREE Careers Week resources. These resources aimed at KS2-KS5 students take you through lesson plans and links to the UN sustainable goals and Gatsy Benchmarks. Your complete guide to integrating Green Careers Week into your curriculum with engaging lessons. You can download them below!

What is Green Careers Week?

Green Careers Week is designed for schools across the UK to engage students in discussions, activities, and projects that explore the expanding field of green careers. The programme seeks to inspire students to think beyond traditional career paths and to consider how their skills and passions can align with opportunities that have a positive environmental impact. By highlighting the importance of sustainable industries and the urgent need for innovation, Green Careers Week encourages students to consider their role in creating a greener, more sustainable world.

The week is packed with various activities, including guest speakers from green industries, practical workshops, and discussions linking classroom learning to green careers. These activities are tailored to be age-appropriate, ensuring that students of all ages, from primary to secondary school, gain a meaningful understanding of what a green career entails and how they can pursue one.

Supporting the Gatsby Benchmarks Through Green Careers Week

The Gatsby Benchmarks provide a framework for delivering effective careers guidance in schools and colleges. Green Careers Week aligns closely with these benchmarks, ensuring that schools can deliver impactful careers education that meets national standards. Here’s how Green Careers Week supports the key Gatsby Benchmarks:

• Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme
  Green Careers Week provides schools with a structured and stable careers programme focused on sustainability and environmental careers. By offering a comprehensive range of activities, resources, and expert speakers, it helps schools deliver consistent, high-quality careers education that integrates seamlessly with the broader curriculum.
• Benchmark 2: Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
  The green job sector is expanding rapidly as companies and governments shift towards more sustainable practices. Green Careers Week provides up-to-date career and labour market information, showing students where opportunities in green industries are growing. This information helps students make informed choices about their future, based on the rising demand for skills in areas like renewable energy, conservation, and green technology.
• Benchmark 4: Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers
  Green Careers Week directly connects academic subjects like science, technology, geography, and design to real-world careers in sustainability. It shows students how the knowledge and skills they develop in the classroom are relevant and transferable to green careers. For example, students studying biology might be interested in careers in conservation, while those passionate about engineering could explore roles in renewable energy development.
• Benchmark 5: Encounters with Employers and Employees
  One of the highlights of Green Careers Week is the opportunity for students to meet professionals from green industries. Schools can organise talks and Q&A sessions with environmental scientists, renewable energy engineers, or sustainable business leaders. These encounters give students the chance to ask questions, gain insights into the daily work of these professionals, and understand the qualifications and skills required for these careers.
• Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces
  Green Careers Week can include virtual or physical visits to companies working in green sectors. By seeing green workplaces firsthand, students gain valuable insight into how these industries operate and the types of roles available. Whether it’s visiting a renewable energy plant or exploring the operations of a recycling centre, these experiences make green careers tangible and accessible.
• Benchmark 7: Encounters with Further and Higher Education
  Green Careers Week helps students explore the pathways to green careers, including relevant university courses, vocational training, and apprenticeships. It can provide information on degree programmes in environmental science, sustainability management, and green engineering, as well as hands-on learning opportunities like apprenticeships in sustainable construction or horticulture. These encounters with further and higher education providers help students make informed choices about their educational journey.

By supporting these Gatsby Benchmarks, Green Careers Week ensures that students not only gain knowledge about green careers but also receive the structured guidance necessary to pursue them. The initiative integrates well with existing careers programmes, helping schools fulfil their careers education objectives while addressing the growing need for skills in sustainable industries.

Aligning Green Careers Week with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global framework for achieving a more sustainable and equitable world by 2030. Green Careers Week aligns with several of these goals, showing students how their career choices can contribute to positive global change. Here are some of the SDGs that Green Careers Week directly supports:

• SDG 4: Quality Education
  Green Careers Week provides inclusive and equitable quality education by equipping students with knowledge about sustainability and green careers. It ensures that students from all backgrounds are aware of the opportunities available in green industries and how they can access them.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
  By introducing careers in renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, Green Careers Week helps students understand the importance of clean energy solutions. It encourages them to consider roles in the development, implementation, and maintenance of these technologies, contributing to the global goal of affordable and clean energy for all.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  Green Careers Week showcases careers that focus on creating sustainable infrastructure and innovative technologies. By highlighting roles in green engineering, sustainable architecture, and environmental planning, it aligns with the goal of building resilient infrastructure and fostering sustainable industrialisation.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  The initiative also links to careers that focus on developing sustainable urban areas. From urban planners to environmental engineers, Green Careers Week shows students how they can be part of building cities and communities that reduce pollution, minimise waste, and protect natural resources.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  Green Careers Week promotes careers that work towards sustainable production and consumption. Students learn about opportunities in recycling industries, sustainable agriculture, and the development of eco-friendly products, helping them understand how their future careers can reduce environmental impact and promote responsible business practices.
• SDG 13: Climate Action
  Addressing the urgent need for climate action, Green Careers Week presents students with roles directly involved in combating climate change, such as environmental scientists, climate policy advisors, and renewable energy specialists. It inspires students to consider careers where they can have a direct impact on global efforts to mitigate climate change.
• SDG 15: Life on Land
  Careers in conservation and wildlife protection are key components of Green Careers Week, supporting the SDG goal of preserving biodiversity and preventing land degradation. Students learn about the importance of ecosystems and how careers in conservation can help protect endangered species and habitats.

By linking to these specific SDGs, Green Careers Week shows students how their career choices can align with global efforts to create a more sustainable and just world. It empowers them to envision themselves as part of a global movement working towards a healthier planet.

Empowering Students for a Sustainable Future

Green Careers Week provides UK schools with a valuable opportunity to educate and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders. By aligning activities with the Gatsby Benchmarks and SDGs, it ensures that students receive structured, high-quality careers education while learning about the critical need for sustainability-focused roles. Green Careers Week not only informs students about the diverse opportunities available but also equips them with the skills and knowledge they need to pursue impactful, fulfilling careers.

Are you ready to empower your students with knowledge about green careers? Book a call to learn more about our Careers Workshops and how we can support your school in delivering engaging, impactful careers education. Learn more about our Careers Workshops for schools.