Tackling the green skills gap through education

Sustainable development is contingent on our collective appetite for change and how successful we are in equipping people with the knowledge, skills and motivation to tackle the most urgent challenges facing society today. As the green economy gains momentum, green skills are one of the driving forces behind sustainable development. They enable individuals to apply technical proficiency and academic knowledge to the myriad real-world issues that fall under the rubrics of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

But how can society develop a talent pipeline with the skills to achieve sustainability goals? According to Abdullah M. Elias, professor and director of the Rankings, Strategy and Institutional Advancement Department at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) in Saudi Arabia, the search for an answer begins on today’s campuses. He argues that higher education should go all-in on teaching the SDGs.

“This is where we train the next generation and tell them why it is important,” says Elias. “This is where we make sure that they understand what sustainability is and how important it is for all of us, so that when they find themselves in positions of authority, they already have buy-in.” PSAU has aligned its curricula with the SDGs and Saudi Vision 2030. By integrating SDG-themed academic modules and content, PSAU is enabling its graduates to enter the workplace with a comprehensive suite of green skills that advance sustainability. 

As a founding partner of Times Higher Education’s International Green Skills Initiative, PSAU has undertaken a root-and-branch audit of its teaching to ensure sustainability is embedded across its six campuses, 20 colleges, 55 departments and over 60 programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. “We are analysing every course we teach at PSAU and mapping them to one or more SDGs,” says Elias. “We are going all the way down to the outcomes and the targets of those SDGs and redesigning course content to ensure that the SDG targets are delivered.” 

The International Green Skills Initiative presents a platform for universities to share strategies and insights into how the sector can better equip students with the skills that a low-carbon economy will demand. In addition to identifying how universities can equip students with relevant green skills that meet the job market’s needs, its primary goals are to understand the relationship between universities and the wider economy and explore how universities can play a greater role in shaping a greener, more sustainable future.

The initiative was developed in consultation with the UN’s Environment Programme to support its Green Jobs for Youth Pact, a global programme that invites collaboration among governments, employers and youth and education partners to promote green skills, create new green jobs and accelerate the green transition of existing jobs. 

At present, the demand for green skills exceeds the availability of those skills in the job market. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 revealed a 12 per cent increase in the acquisition of green skills between 2022 and 2023. In the same period, there was a spike of almost 22 per cent in jobs listings requiring at least one green skill. The report suggests that prioritising green skills development is essential for harnessing the opportunities presented by the green transition in a fair and inclusive manner.

According to the 2024 Global Green Skills Report by LinkedIn, the demand for green talent is growing in most countries as companies work to meet their sustainability targets. In 2023, 7.3 per cent of job postings on LinkedIn were for green roles or required green skills, which increased to 7.7 per cent in 2024. Similarly, a 2024 report prepared for the UN Environment Programme by Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS) International, on behalf of the Green Jobs for Youth Pact Youth Advisory Group, highlights that education systems must reflect the requirements of a green economy by integrating green skills into curricula and facilitating continuous learning for all.

The report sets out recommendations for institutions to advance green skills and enhance access to green jobs, such as providing access to high-quality education on climate and ecological challenges; integrating diverse and traditional knowledge into the curriculum; incorporating sustainability and green skills into mandatory educational programmes; and creating pathways for students and graduates to explore environmental and sustainable career opportunities.

Setting a clear definition of green skills will be a crucial step towards bridging the skills gap. The SOS International report describes them as “the necessary knowledge, attributes and competencies to create a fairer, more sustainable future for all”. Green skills transcend disciplinary boundaries and must combine technical and soft skills. One of the key themes to emerge from the 2025 THE International Green Skills Summit was the importance of establishing a culture within universities that supports sustainability across all disciplines. 

“At PSAU, sustainability is a way of life. That’s just what we are turning it into. It is part and parcel of everything we do,” says Elias. “Whether we are teaching business, pharmacy or engineering, we believe there is a way to integrate SDGs into everything we teach.”

The focus on green skills aligns with the ongoing shift within the global higher education sector towards equipping students to achieve real-world impact. Institutions are emphasising practical, solution-orientated teaching and learning that addresses societal and environmental challenges. Engagement with industry plays a crucial role in this process. For example, instead of relying on traditional assessment methods, universities can partner with industry to design assessments where students complete SDG-related projects.

PSAU pursues a similar strategy by assigning students sustainability projects with real-world impact and welcoming industry experts on campus to share their expertise. This strategy is seeing results, with students developing sustainable innovations and showcasing them internationally. Such innovations demonstrate how students can take an active role in designing the world around them, even before they enter the workforce.

Find out more about Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University.

Find out more about the PSAU Global South Partnership.