Identifying the potential for green jobs and associated skills needs

Methodological concepts applied to the South African coal mining industry.

Abstract

The idea of green growth holds much promise but also much uncertainty. It is hard to predict what new jobs might emerge, what new skills will be needed, and just how to achieve a transition that is socially inclusive and economically feasible, while shifting entire systems towards greater environmental sustainability. How should organisations respond, so as to benefit from and contribute to green growth? Based on research to identify environmental skills needed in the South African mining industry, and other sectors, this paper proposes a number of methodological innovations. One is to expand the standard value chain analysis, by using a critical realist methodology that also looks for absences: value that should be there but is currently destroyed or untapped. An example is the restoration of mined land, a form of regenerative economy with the potential to reduce value destruction and create new social, economic and ecological value. Identifying such leverage points can show up the possibility of new or reconfigured jobs in the transitions to more sustainable development, in this case a transition away from coal. Another innovation involves the identification of the associated skills requirements. More than technical skills are needed, but just what do so-called ‘soft skills’ entail, and how can they be developed? The paper concludes with tools to apply at organisational level for green skills needs analysis, using a framework of technical, relational and transformational competencies, in support of the quest for green growth in senescent or at-risk value chains.

Keywords: sustainable development, value chain analysis, leverage points, mine restoration,
relational and transformational competencies