There is a strong demand for talents in the fields of energy conservation, environmental protection, clean production and other fields. “Green-collar” talents have become the new favorite
In recent years, the demand for talent in energy conservation, environmental protection, and clean production has surged, leading to a gradual rollout of skills training programs.
“Green jobs” have become the new favorites in the job market!
As the concept of green development becomes more widely accepted, China’s green economy is continuously generating new momentum. Amid the efforts to promote industrial transformation and upgrading, the demand for “green-collar” workers is on the rise, prompting the introduction of various skills training initiatives aimed at enhancing the talent pool.
In September, Shandong Province initiated a public call for provincial “green-collar” vocational skills training programs, offering subsidies for vocational training to workers. This initiative has sparked increased interest and discussion about green jobs. While most people are familiar with the terms “white-collar” and “blue-collar,” what exactly does “green-collar” mean? Why are there special training subsidies associated with these roles? And how can someone become a “green-collar” worker?
According to reports, the 2015 edition of the “Occupational Classification of the People’s Republic of China” (hereinafter referred to as the “Classification”) analyzed job activities characterized by “environmental protection, low carbon, and recycling,” identifying several well-known professions with significant green attributes as “green jobs.” The 2022 edition of the Classification further enriches and refines this list, designating 134 green jobs across sectors such as energy conservation, environmental protection, clean production, clean energy, ecological environment, green infrastructure upgrading, and green services. These professionals are collectively referred to as “green-collar” workers.
The drive for industrial transformation has given rise to green jobs.
In early October, during a visit to the world’s first pure hydrogen multi-stable vertical furnace demonstration production line located in Shandong’s Linyi Lingang Economic Development Zone, I observed the impressive hydrogen-based vertical furnace surrounded by various processing units. The entire setup operated smoothly, interconnected by a complex arrangement of corridors and pipelines.
Operators Wei Benfu and Lu Xingyong described their responsibilities on this production line. Wei explained that unlike traditional carbon metallurgy, hydrogen metallurgy eliminates high-pollution processes such as coking and sintering. However, it requires operators to monitor more instruments. “The biggest difference is the heightened emphasis on safety, which includes using an oxygen analyzer to check the replacement purging ports in the vertical furnace system to prevent any mix of oxygen with hydrogen, which could lead to an explosion,” he said.
In July, China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced 19 new occupations, including operation and maintenance managers for energy storage stations, hydrogen direct reduction ironworkers, and electric power quality managers, expanding the category of green jobs. Following this expansion, Wei and Lu now identify as “green-collar” workers.
The emergence of new professions provides laborers with more employment options and reflects a shift in employment perspectives. A recent survey shows that over 90% of the workforce in these new roles consists of individuals from the post-80s and post-90s generations. Whether as “building energy-saving and emission reduction consultants” aligned with carbon neutrality goals, or as cutting-edge “robot engineering technicians,” there is an enthusiastic anticipation for young professionals to shine on the green stage.
The demand for green-collar talent is expected to continue growing.
In Diaokou Township, Dongying City, which borders the Bohai Sea, rows of energy storage battery systems stand proudly in line. Thirty-six-year-old Zuo Ting works as an operations and maintenance manager for an electrochemical energy storage station project, having previously managed operations for solar power stations.
“This is an emerging industry, and initially, there was indeed a shortage of dedicated operations and maintenance personnel for electrochemical energy storage stations,” said Zhao Dongge, director of operations for the project. The maintenance team predominantly consists of technicians with electrical expertise, including those drawn from battery manufacturers and containerized storage system technical staff, all collaborating on-site for debugging and training.
According to data from the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, the anticipated demand for talent in the “dual carbon” context during the 14th Five-Year Plan period ranges from 550,000 to 1 million professionals, while currently, there are only about 100,000 related practitioners. A representative from the Federation emphasized that carbon asset management departments will soon become as standard in companies as finance and environmental protection, predicting sustained growth in demand for dual carbon talent over the next five to ten years.
“The classification of green occupations is becoming more refined and expanded, involving sectors such as energy, manufacturing, construction materials, transportation, aviation, and meteorology. This places high demands on the professionalism, innovation, and practical skills of green occupational talent,” stated Jiang Wan, an associate professor at Tianjin University’s School of Management and Economics, highlighting the complexities and challenges of nurturing talent in the dual carbon sector.
In recent years, various regions have incorporated dual carbon-related initiatives into their government work reports, offering policy support for local green vocational training. Shandong has also made significant strides in skills training for green low-carbon occupations. In 2023 alone, Shandong launched 1,909 green low-carbon vocational skills training classes, benefiting 77,600 workers.
Establishing a sound evaluation system for green occupational talent is critical. By the end of June this year, Shandong’s installed capacity for renewable energy generation surpassed 100 million kilowatts, making it the first province along the eastern coast with such an achievement.
Liu Dejun, director of the Strategic Planning Institute at the Shandong Academy of Macroeconomic Research, remarked, “Shandong is accelerating its efforts to become a leader in green, low-carbon, and high-quality development, which has dramatically increased the demand for green talent in sectors like renewable energy, environmental protection, and ecological safeguarding. Therefore, it’s crucial to create a talent system that aligns with green and low-carbon development.” He recommended strengthening standards and professional training to establish a comprehensive educational, training, and practical framework for green workers, ensuring they have ample development and growth opportunities.
Discussing how to overcome development bottlenecks for green occupational talent, experts pointed out the challenges posed by the mixed quality of vocational certification training institutions in the market. They proposed leveraging the collaborative efforts of human resource management departments, industry associations, vocational training institutions, and enterprises to enhance the certification and evaluation system for green occupations, standardizing assessment criteria and maintaining stringent quality controls. Cooperation between government and businesses is essential to optimize the layout of public training bases, universities, vocational colleges, and skill training institutions, creating more opportunities for aspiring green-collar workers to gain necessary skills.
Yuan Quan, a nationally recognized agricultural labor model and Shandong labor model, expressed his thoughts on the changing landscape of green occupations: “The days of working solely in the fields are over; now ‘green-collar’ work emphasizes the dual support of outstanding talent and advanced technology.” He shared his experience with Longtan Farm, which has attracted 13 college students while nurturing over 1,000 high-quality farmers. Yuan hopes to strengthen talent exchange among various green industries and inspire more young people to join him as “green-collar” workers to innovate and showcase their talents.
