Asia-Pacific gears up for green jobs in low-carbon economy shift

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has urged Asia-Pacific countries to prepare their workforce for green jobs as the region transitions to a low-carbon economy.

In a paper titled Preparing the Workforce for the Low-Carbon Economy: A Closer Look at Green Jobs and Green Skills, the ADB highlighted that new green job opportunities will surface while existing jobs will undergo skills transformation. Therefore, preparing the workforce for these changes stands as a crucial pillar in the transition to a low-carbon economy, necessitating a proactive approach in education systems.

The ADB recommended that countries within the Asia-Pacific region embark on country-specific green labour market forecasts and analyses. These insights will serve as guidance for education and workforce planners to anticipate future job trends and the skills required to meet the growing demand for green jobs.

Recognising that the adoption of green technology may differ across sectors, the ADB underscored the importance of crafting sector-specific plans for education and workforce development. Such strategic planning, according to the ADB, must involve structured dialogue with industry stakeholders and sector-line ministries. Key partners, in this regard, would encompass sector skills councils and business associations.

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Countries will also need to update green qualifications and improve the capacity for delivering technical education for green jobs. The ADB said countries need to make teaching sustainability a mindset in primary and secondary education to make it a foundational skill. It said sustainability may also be taught in technical education so it can be applied in work processes of different jobs, reported Philstar.