The role of GuildHE institutions in driving the UK's green transition

Employers are reporting shortages in essential competencies and recent reports from Parliament, professional bodies, and trades unions warn of an inadequate pipeline of provision. Without immediate action, climate ambition will outpace the workforce needed to deliver it. 

Green skills refer to the knowledge, abilities, and competences required to engage in sustainable practices and occupations that protect the environment. They include everything from renewable energy and waste management to eco-design, sustainable agriculture, and climate literacy. Crucially, these skills are not confined to technical sectors: every industry will need to embed sustainability into its workforce.

As the UK accelerates its journey towards Net Zero, the conversation around green skills has never been more urgent. From construction to digital, from creative industries to law, every sector will require a workforce equipped with the knowledge and practical skills to respond to the climate crisis. Yet despite increasing awareness, recent reports from policymakers have warned of a growing green skills gap that risks undermining national climate targets. According to a 2025 report by PwC, demand for green skills is already building, with a 3.5% increase in green job adverts across the electricity and gas sectors recorded between 2020 and 2021. This national picture represents both a risk and an opportunity for higher education institutions which GuildHE institutions are well poised to address.

Without targeted policy support, however, our members’ distinctive contributions to the green skills pipeline may not be recognised. This is because existing systems tend to privilege large-scale, multi-faculty universities as the default for higher education institutions.  Smaller-scale universities, specialist institutions and innovative, non-traditional institutions have much to show in this space, leveraging their unique strengths, agility, close community ties, and expertise to embed sustainability into both campus practice and curriculum delivery. 

How our members create impact

At Bath Spa University, sustainability has been embedded for over a decade. In 2010, the institution was one of the first universities awarded Platinum status by EcoCampus, a framework and award scheme run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). EcoCampus guides universities and colleges in improving environmental sustainability, and awards them based on environmental initiatives on campus and in their communities. The university has also delivered Carbon Reduction Management Plans and collaborated with regional partners on renewable energy. Bath Spa’s approach demonstrates how institutions can act as living laboratories for environmental innovation, modelling sustainable behaviours that students carry into their careers.

Similarly, BPP University has integrated sustainability into professional education, using initiatives such as Plastic Free July and its Library Green Learning programme to raise awareness, reduce waste, and engage students and staff in practical action. The Library Green Learning programme promotes environmental awareness among students by providing them with resources on climate change and sustainability, such as a dedicated online reading list available through their Great Reads collections. BPP has also recently offered a new online learning path powered by Sustainability Unlocked, which focuses on green skills for a sustainable future. Such work highlights how even institutions without a traditional science or land-based focus can drive cultural change and equip students with sustainability awareness relevant to their studies. Ultimately, it ensures that students in law, business, and professional training are exposed to sustainability principles directly within their course content, not just enough extracurricular or campus initiatives.

At Royal Agricultural University (RAU), sustainability is included in every aspect of teaching and practice, giving students real-world experience in addressing climate and environmental challenges. Students gain practical knowledge through initiatives such as the Wild Campus project, a 60-acre conservation space developed in partnership with Cirencester College and Cirencester Deer Park. The project seeks to bring about real change at a local level, engaging and educating university students, school pupils, and staff at the three organisations and the local community in Cirencester.

These programmes and initiatives are examples of how our institutions can align practice-based academic provision directly with workforce needs, ensuring students graduate with skills that benefit both the employers and the environment.

Embedding green skills across disciplines

Whilst campus sustainability is vital, the biggest benefit of such practice-based initiatives lies in equipping students with green skills needed for the future workforce. The UK government’s Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan (2025) sets out a long-term plan to ensure these skills are delivered consistently across the country. Backed by over £100 million in investment for engineering skills and guided by Skills England, the strategy is centred on creating high-quality jobs and ensuring that training routes in higher education and apprenticeships align with industry demand. This means universities are not just passive observers in the transition but central delivery partners. The government has been clear that the success of the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy will depend on embedding sustainability into all stages of education, from technical colleges to specialist universities.

GuildHE institutions–which focus on technical and vocational higher education, excel in tailoring programmes to sector needs. Whether in the creative industries, land-based subjects, construction, law or teacher training, these institutions are uniquely placed to translate sustainability into discipline-specific skills. For example, teacher training providers can prepare educators to integrate climate literacy into classrooms. Land-based institutions are embedding innovation in sustainable farming and biodiversity. Similarly, law and business schools are increasingly incorporating sustainable finance and corporate responsibility into their curriculum. 

The University of Law, for instance, has introduced an LLM in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, supported by its 2023-2027 Sustainability Strategy, which commits the institution to four key priorities and sixteen projects that align sustainability with teaching, professional education, and internal operations. This demonstrates how higher education institutions are formalising sustainable finance and corporate responsibility within their teaching, whilst also embedding sustainability into the wider running of the institution itself.

For students, this matters deeply. Embedding green skills into programmes not only equips them for meaningful employment, but also ensures fair access to future opportunities. In a rapidly changing labour market, green skills are not just about climate action, but about employability, equity, and social mobility.

A call for action

The previous government' s Green Jobs Taskforce, launched in 2020, set a clear ambition for building a high-skill, low-carbon economy. Its recommendations, alongside the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, underline the urgency of preparing a workforce that can meet Net Zero targets. Although these initiatives were introduced under the previous government, their influence continues to shape how the sector approaches skills and climate policy. The risk now is that without renewed commitment from the current government, this momentum could stall across all industries.

GuildHE institutions are already contributing to this agenda, but their role is not always recognised. It’s important that the higher education sector treats sustainability not as an optional extra, but as a core part of teaching and professional training. The need for decisive action is underscored by the current political climate. With the Reform UK Party openly questioning Net Zero and promoting anti-environmental policies, there is a real risk of backsliding in this area. Policymakers must therefore ensure that skills and sustainability remain embedded across higher education, regardless of political challenges. 

To bridge the gap, we put forward the following recommendations:

1. Put green skills at the centre of higher education policy: Policymakers should embed sustainability and climate literacy across all disciplines, aligning higher education regulation with DfE’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. For HE providers, this means ensuring that frameworks are flexible enough to support diverse subject areas including the arts, creative industries, agriculture, business and teacher training.
2. Recognise and resource smaller-scale, specialist and non-traditional institutions: Funding and regulatory models must reflect the distinctive contribution of these providers, not just large-scale, multi-faculty universities. For instance, the Office for Students regulatory framework already requires institutions to demonstrate value for money and outcomes for students. However, this framework is often geared towards larger universities. Similarly, the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, due to be introduced in 2026, will reshape student finance in ways that may be more difficult for these institutions to adopt. The administrative and compliance burden could disproportionately affect those with fewer resources. Ensuring that these policies take account of different types of provision is key if the higher education sector is to play its part in delivering green skills. 
3. Create clear pathways into green jobs through partnerships: HE providers often work closely with local employers and communities. Policymakers can maximise this strength by investing in partnerships that link teaching and training to real world opportunities, ensuring students graduate with the skills and pathways to enter the green workforce.

If the UK is to meet its Net Zero goals and prepare for over two million green jobs by 2030, government and regulators must create the conditions that allow these institutions to scale their impact. This is not only about hitting climate targets, it is about equipping students with the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive in the green economy. Policymakers must act now to recognise and support the unique role of smaller-scale, specialist and innovative institutions to deliver these goals. Without this, the UK risks not only missing its Net Zero goals but also leaving its workforce unprepared for the realities of a rapidly changing global economy.