Green Skills Aren’t Optional. They’re The Next Functional Skills

A decade ago, digital skills were often seen as specialist knowledge. Today, they sit alongside English and maths as essential workplace literacies.

Sustainability is now following the same path. Green skills are no longer optional, and further education and apprenticeships must begin to treat them as the next core literacy for the modern workforce.

Sustainability is not just the responsibility of environmental specialists

Employers are increasingly expected to demonstrate sustainable practices, reduce waste and think carefully about long term impact. But sustainability is not just the responsibility of environmental specialists. It sits within everyday decisions made by employees at all levels. From managing resources to influencing workplace behaviours, sustainability has become part of what it means to be an effective professional.

Apprenticeships offer a powerful opportunity to embed sustainability thinking because apprentices apply learning directly into real workplaces. Unlike classroom-only learning, apprenticeship programmes allow learners to influence practice as they develop their skills. That makes sustainability more than a theoretical discussion; it becomes part of everyday decision-making.

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly visible part of the conversations learners are having about their work

In my role supporting leadership and management apprentices at the University of Exeter, sustainability is becoming an increasingly visible part of the conversations learners are having about their work. Many of the apprentices I support are responsible for managing teams, overseeing processes and making operational decisions. These decisions often have sustainability implications, whether that relates to resource use, efficiency, travel or procurement.

At the University of Exeter, sustainability is not an abstract ambition. It sits at the heart of institutional strategy, with clear sustainability goals shaping both culture and practice. This creates an environment where learners are encouraged to think beyond immediate outcomes and consider longer-term impact. In practice, this often begins with small but meaningful changes. I have seen apprentices review routine processes and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary printing, improve resource use and encourage more sustainable team behaviours. These are not large scale environmental projects, but they demonstrate how sustainability becomes embedded through everyday leadership decisions.

Recent changes across the apprenticeship landscape make this conversation even more urgent

Recent changes across the apprenticeship landscape make this conversation even more urgent. With the defunding of leadership and management apprenticeships and the removal of functional skills requirements in some programmes, the sector is entering a period of significant transition. While these changes present challenges, they also create an opportunity to rethink what we define as core workplace literacy. If English, maths and digital skills have long been seen as essential foundations, sustainability must now be considered alongside them. Employers are not only looking for technical competence, but for professionals who can think critically about efficiency, responsibility and long term impact.

Sustainability is still too often treated as a specialist topic

Across the wider FE and apprenticeship sector, sustainability is still too often treated as a specialist topic. It is frequently associated with industries such as construction or engineering, rather than recognised as a universal workforce skill. This approach risks leaving many learners unprepared for the expectations they will face in modern workplaces, where sustainability targets, reporting requirements and responsible resource use are becoming standard practice.

If we are serious about preparing learners for the future, sustainability must be embedded across all programmes, not added as an optional extra. This does not mean creating entirely new qualifications. Instead, it means weaving sustainability thinking into existing teaching, discussions and assessment activities. Much like digital skills before it, sustainability should become part of everyday learning rather than something separate from it.

Much like digital skills before it, sustainability should become part of everyday learning rather than something separate from it

Staff confidence will also play a critical role. Educators, trainers and mentors need support to feel confident discussing sustainability within their subject areas. This may involve professional development opportunities, shared resources and practical examples that connect sustainability to real workplace activity. When staff feel confident, learners are far more likely to engage meaningfully with the topic and recognise its relevance to their roles.

The FE sector has already demonstrated its ability to adapt to major change. The integration of digital skills into everyday teaching is a clear example of how expectations can shift across a relatively short period of time. Sustainability now demands the same level of attention and commitment.

At a time when apprenticeship structures are changing and expectations of learners continue to evolve, we have an opportunity to redefine what core literacy means for the modern workforce. Green skills are no longer optional. They are the next literacy, and apprenticeships must play a leading role in embedding them.

By Lindsey Poole, PGCE MEd