Green Skills

SOLAS continues in its commitment to supporting Ireland’s goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and has finalised the Green Skills 2030 Implementation Plan.

This plan serves as a roadmap for advancing the strategic and sector-specific recommendations outlined in Green Skills 2030, the first National Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy. The Implementation Plan aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sets out actionable, measurable targets developed in collaboration with KPMG, Education and Training Boards Ireland, the 16 Education and Training Boards, industry partners, and government departments.

The roadmap includes 24 strategic actions and 71 sectoral actions, addressing the need for increased green and transversal skills in the following sectors:

• Accounting and business

• Agriculture, forestry, and marine (including bioeconomy)

• Biodiversity and the environment

• Construction and built environment (including water and waste management)

• Engineering, energy, and manufacturing

• Transport and logistics

• Tourism and hospitality

Strategic actions focus on raising awareness of green skills programmes offered by FET, increasing understanding of career opportunities arising from the green transition, integrating green and transversal skills across all FET programmes, supporting businesses through upskilling and reskilling opportunities for employees, promoting sustainable business practices, and expanding the design and delivery of FET green skills programmes.

Sectoral actions for the seven identified key economic sectors include the development and delivery of FET programmes, the establishment of specialist skills centres, and the enhancement of pathways between further and higher education.

You can read the full Green Skills 2030 Implementation Plan here.

Green Skills Programmes

Recent research from the SOLAS Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) highlights that 75% of employment in Ireland now requires some level of green skills, underscoring the growing importance of sustainability across all sectors of the economy.

FET offers extensive opportunities to develop green skills in different areas and to access growing employment prospects. There is a variety of courses available, developed by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country, and available for learners nationwide.

Areas include:
- Accounting & business
- Agriculture, forestry & marine
- Art & design
- Biodiversity & environment
- Construction & built environment
- Tourism & hospitality
- Engineering, energy & manufacturing
- Services
- Sports
- Transport & logistics

Find available Green Skills courses at www.fetchcourses.ie

Green Skills programmes provide many benefits to learners by:

• Increasing awareness of climate justice, sustainability and bioeconomic issues

• Providing training and upskilling in the latest green technologies in key sectors going through transformational change to meet requirements of the green economy such as agriculture, construction and transport

• Building career opportunities in the green economy for the employed, unemployed and those in vulnerable sectors.