Gender gap in green skills knowledge threatens net zero targets, white paper warns

For employers across all industries to uphold the UK Government’s pledge of achieving net zero 2050 targets, a comprehensive transformation in the workforce is increasingly vital. 

Yet, leading spring and presswork manufacturer Micro Spring & Presswork (MSP) warns that the significant gap in green skills knowledge has the potential to widen existing gender barriers. 

This comes after analysis from MSP’s ‘Women in Manufacturing’ white paper identified a widening gender divide within the visibility of green job opportunities – with data finding that 47 percent of women are unsure of how to acquire green skills compared to 33 percent of men. 

Commenting on the data, Andrew Durdey, Sales and Marketing Director of MSP, observed: “Delivering on a sustainability agenda will require new skills that businesses have not traditionally targeted, leaving many workforces underprepared.”

“Without transformative measures throughout each sector, the supply-demand imbalance in green skills is poised to become a substantial challenge amid the global push towards net zero.”

Durdey continued: “We are seeing only the tip of the iceberg, as the associated demand for knowledge and green skills over the next few years will lead to missed opportunities for women in work without proper intervention and dedication from employers to improve upskilling and visibility of opportunities.”

In MSP’s latest white paper ‘Sustainability: State of the Industry 2024’, analysis has found that less than one in 10 workforces have all the skills they need to deliver a sustainability agenda.

Durdey continued: “Narrowing the green skills gap is imperative to ensure the successful execution of sustainability initiatives, including the ability to quantify and analyse emission data, develop clear and accountable strategies, and deliver upskill opportunities for emerging green technologies.” 

With net zero on the agenda for many businesses, MSP’s latest white paper looks to bridge the skills gap by discussing where barriers to net zero remain, providing businesses with clear strategies to help facilitate a smarter and greener future. 

In doing so, manufacturers can actively challenge the continued skill shortages and poor perceptions around careers, which continue to cripple the industry’s appeal to future talent.

 “With continued dedication to upskilling and training staff on green opportunities, we can create a gender-inclusive transition to net zero, which will have far-reaching benefits for both the future of the workforce, the industry, and the environment,” Durdey concluded.

MSP’s latest white paper ‘Sustainability: State of the Industry 2024’ seeks to address the various challenges facing the manufacturing sector, raise awareness, and offer viable research and ideas to drive innovation towards a sustainable industry future.