The Path is Green campaign
Careers Scotland, part of the new Skills Development Scotland organisation, aims to help people in Scotland make well-informed career decisions at different stages of their lives. The Path is Green campaign was successfully launched in the Scottish Parliament on 12 May. Heather Reid (‘Heather the Weather’), who attended the launch, said, 'Green jobs are a way of enjoying an exciting long-term career which can make a difference to the environment.'
With the impact of climate change creating a new focus on the need to produce renewable energy from Scotland’s abundant natural resources of wind and waste and the need to conserve and sustain the environment, this has created a wealth of new jobs in Scotland, for example on wind farms or in wave energy. In traditional trades, jobs are changing to reflect the developments in green technologies, for example in plumbing.
It is estimated that there are currently around 80,000 green jobs in Scotland. In the next 10-15 years up to a further 50,000 new green jobs will be created in the country, offering long-term careers in areas which were virtually non-existent a decade ago.
The Path is Green campaign’s aim is to deliver these messages to young people in a number of ways. The website www.thepathisgreen.co.uk gives detailed information about the jobs and skills required as well as case studies about young people who work in a variety of ‘green’ jobs.
In addition to the website there is an e-zine, and posters will be delivered to schools. There is also a competition for young people (S1-S6) which is an online quiz based on green jobs. The answers can be found within the website. There will also be a project-based competition for S4-S6 pupils to look at scenarios related to green jobs and design an e-update.
An awards ceremony will be held in November with eco-themed prizes and a visit to the BBC Scotland ‘green HQ’.
Online advertising on social networking sites and a virtual online game will also be used to target young people with campaign messages.