Demand for green jobs in West Midlands remains resilient despite cooling labour market 

The number of green jobs advertised in the West Midlands has fallen from the record levels recorded in 2022, but demand remains resilient as were created in 2023. 

According to PwC’s latest Green Jobs Barometer, there were 16,157 green opportunities advertised in the region in 2023, compared to just over 24,000 in 2022, a 32.8 per cent decrease.  

However, green jobs accounted for 2.10 per cent of total overall roles in the region in 2023 increasing slightly from 2.03 per cent in 2022.  

 The report also found that green jobs in financial services (2.5 per cent) and the public sector (6.7 per cent) in the West Midlands have increased, while green jobs in sectors including manufacturing (-53.3 per cent) and construction (-39.9 per cent) have decreased.  

The barometer results come during a challenging economic time which has seen the number of total advertised roles in the UK fall by 29 per cent, while the number of green jobs fell by 26 per cent. 

Becky Clayton (pictured), ESG deals partner at PwC Midlands, said: “Despite 2023 being an economically challenging year, it is positive to see that the West Midlands increased the proportion of green jobs advertised compared to total jobs. Green jobs represent the future of work and demand for these types of roles and skills will grow over the next decade, driven by the green agenda and the UK's commitment to Net Zero.  

“Employers in the West Midlands have an opportunity to innovate and consider how their operations can become greener, particularly in the manufacturing sector that represents a high proportion of the West Midlands economy.  

“The decline in green jobs in this sector is, in part, to economic challenges and businesses focusing on short term needs instead of looking at future investments. However, while these jobs are future focused, investing in the right areas now could also help alleviate some current issues too.  

 “For example, there are new emerging industries such as CleanTech (renewable energy or electric vehicles for example) where demand for skills is expected to increase. Embracing new, greener technologies and investing in skills will provide benefits for business operations and more employment opportunities in the region, as well as making the West Midlands a more sustainable region.” 

Overall, PwC’s Green Jobs Barometer, now in its third year, identified that green jobs tend to be higher quality jobs, reflecting both higher levels of pay and greater levels of job satisfaction compared to non-green roles.  

The higher level of pay is not simply a reflection of the skills required. there is also a pay premium for many entry level roles with 60 per cent of occupations commanding a 23 per cent pay premium on average for entry level roles.  

The Barometer also highlighted that green jobs tend to require longer working hours and are more likely than non-green roles to be based on temporary employment contracts.  

New analysis in this year's Barometer reveals that on a range of measures, access to green jobs remains unevenly spread by background, undercutting the opportunity for a competitive and equitable green job market. 

Compared to the labour market overall, green jobs tend to be concentrated in “white collar” roles and require a higher level of education at degree level or equivalent.  

This is especially true in the regions which have seen the strongest performance of green jobs; in Scotland, London and the South East almost 40 per cent of green jobs advertised require a university degree or equivalent experience.  

Workers from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented in green roles compared to their share of the labour market overall.  

For example in London, where workers from these communities account for 36 per cent of the workforce they account for only 30 per cent of workers in green jobs.  

A significant proportion of the rise in green jobs has been driven by roles requiring a background in science, technology and maths (STEM), subjects that are well-known to traditionally under-represent women.