The coalition government should do more to boost green jobs, according to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT).
A spokesman for the organisation said: “To bridge the yawning chasm the government needs to forge new research partnerships with trade unions, employers and regional development agencies to better understand the skills needed in a zero carbon economy.”
Many believe that a solution to the struggling UK economy is a shift towards green initiatives, which will not only boost the country’s GDP but reduce its carbon emissions.
The government therefore needs to make resources available to those already in the workforce and to higher education institutes to “finance the up-skilling”.
The spokesman added: “Currently up-skilling to become a domestic green engineer can cost between £5,000 and £8,000 for a six week course. Grants need to be available and fast so that the transition to a low-carbon Britain does not put people out of pocket.”
Furthermore, in addition to making finance available, the government needs to develop a proper strategy for this investment to ensure that any new build of, for example, solar power panels or wind farms, has the workforce behind it.
CAT was founded in 1973. CAT is concerned with the search for globally sustainable, whole and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life.
