We are going to need lots more green skills  

Taking part yesterday evening in a debate on our country’s skills needs for a low carbon future, I drew two conclusions. The first is that we need to make the intellectual case for equpping our workforce with skills for jobs which in many cases do not yet exist. Traditionally, employers look for business opportunities and when they see a market for their goods and services they skill up for that trade. Yet if we wait for the markets to open up for low carbon goods and services we will find that progress will be hampered by skills shortages. When these markets open up, they will be global – that’s global in the opportunities for business and global in exposure to competition. So for once, we need to skill up in advance of being able to see the markets. The obvious challenge is therefore to convince employers, and convince students and workers who will invest time and money...