CFA Training Manager, Shaun Wadsworth, describes the role of the training sector in educating the contract flooring workforce of today and tomorrow about the part they need to play in achieving Net Zero Carbon

Half of the world’s population is 30 years old or younger, and this figure is expected to reach 57 per cent by the end of 2030 (according to United Nations report published in 2015), the largest generation of young people in history. Highlighting the importance of developing green skills for our future generations is key to ensure a transition to a greener and more sustainable world where everyone – including young people – benefit equally.

Green skills apply in many professional settings, including construction, and more specifically commercial flooring. They draw on a wider range of knowledge, values, and attitudes towards sustainable decision-making at work and in life. Although green skills and competencies are relevant for people of all ages, they are of greater importance for younger people entering the industry over the next decade and beyond, who can contribute towards the transitions and evolutions in materials and processes over a longer period of time. And let’s be clear there is a HUGE transition to be made that is as much a cultural change as it is practical and operational one. For both these elements training will be incredibly important.

There is already a wealth of standards and qualifications being developed and delivered by awarding bodies and training providers in the wider construction sector designed with varying levels of impact, scale and influence. It is reported by NOCN Group (one of the largest contributors to training and assessment in construction) that there could be as many as
694,000 ‘green jobs’ in the low carbon and renewable energy sector across England by 2030.

For the construction sector there are specific construction qualifications aimed at ‘green skills’ including areas such as Insulation and Building Treatments and retrofit qualifications (designed with industry specialists to align with industry needs and enhance the skills and knowledge required for retrofitting).

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