The recently published Careers Occupational Information Unit Green Skills Careers Bulletin from the Department for the Economy is a timely and welcome contribution to the growing conversation about how Northern Ireland prepares its young people for a greener future. It clearly signals what many of us working across education, business and sustainability already know: green skills are no longer niche – they are foundational to our economy and our workforce.

As Northern Ireland continues its transition towards a low‑carbon economy, the demand for skills linked to sustainability, energy, engineering, construction, transport and land use is increasing. The bulletin plays an important role in mapping out these opportunities, helping educators, careers advisors, parents and young people themselves to better understand where green opportunities exist and how different roles connect to real jobs in the local economy.

At Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITC NI), we are proud to see this focus reflected in policy and careers guidance – because it closely aligns with what we hear from businesses across our responsible business network. Employers tell us they need a future workforce that is climate‑literate, sustainability‑aware, and equipped with the confidence to innovate and adapt. Just as importantly, young people tell us they want careers that feel meaningful – careers where they can make a difference to their communities and the environment.

However, awareness alone is not enough. One of the most consistent messages emerging from our work with schools is that young people need to be able to picture themselves in green careers. That means moving beyond abstract ideas about ‘green jobs’ and helping students hear directly from people who are already working in these roles today.

Meeting engineers working in renewable energy, biodiversity officers restoring local habitats, architects designing low‑carbon buildings, or business leaders embedding circular economy principles into everyday operations can be transformational. These real‑world encounters help demystify green careers and make them feel achievable, relevant and exciting – particularly for young people who may not see these pathways reflected in their immediate surroundings.

This is exactly why work inspiration sits at the heart of our Generation Green Schools initiative.

Generation Green Schools has been taking place across Northern Ireland over the past school year. Funded through SSE Airtricity’s Generation Green Community Fund, the programme connects classroom learning with the realities of the green economy, showing students how sustainability is embedded across a wide range of roles and sectors.

Facilitators from BITC and those who hold ‘green jobs’ from business have inspired more than 1,000 young people across every council area to delve deeper into four core areas. These are carbon literacy, energy, the circular economy and biodiversity – all of which reflect the skillsets highlighted in the Green Skills Careers Bulletin as increasingly important to Northern Ireland’s economic future. By linking these themes directly to business and employment, we help young people see the relevance of what they are learning today to the jobs they could pursue tomorrow.

A free digital resource hub and schools programme is also available, designed to support post‑primary students across Northern Ireland to become informed and confident leaders in sustainability.

Through the Generation Green Schools resource hub, teachers and students can access career profiles, classroom resources, toolkits and worksheets that explore sustainability in a practical, age‑appropriate way. Crucially, these resources are designed to spotlight real people and real career journeys, helping students understand not just what green jobs are, but how people get into them.

We know that career aspirations are shaped early. If young people do not see green careers as ‘for people like them’, the opportunity gap widens before subject choices and training pathways are even made. This is particularly important in communities that may have less direct exposure to the green economy, despite having the talent and potential to thrive within it.

Programmes like Generation Green Schools complement the work of the Careers Service by adding lived experience and employer voices into the mix. When businesses step forward to share their experiences with students, they are not only helping to build future talent pipelines – they are playing a direct role in Northern Ireland’s just transition to a more sustainable economy.

The Green Skills Careers Bulletin makes clear that delivering on our green ambitions will require collaboration across government, education and business. I would strongly agree. No single organisation can do this alone. But together, we can ensure that young people are informed, inspired and supported to explore the full breadth of green careers available to them here in Northern Ireland.

At Business in the Community, we are proud of the role Generation Green Schools is playing in this ecosystem – and we are grateful to the businesses, educators and partners who continue to bring it to life. By helping young people hear directly from those already working in green jobs, we can move from awareness to aspiration, and from aspiration to action.

The green transition is not just about technology or targets. It is about people. And the sooner young people can see themselves as part of that future, the stronger our collective response to climate change will be.

Find out more: www.bitcni.org.uk/greenschools