Research conducted by CareerStructure.com has found that 78 percent of professionals believe that a greater focus on sustainability within the built environment could help to boost overall industry growth.
With green targets ever expanding, and a growing market for sustainable products and services, investing in the green agenda – whether by attracting government support, unlocking private sector funding or loosening red tape – could have big benefits for businesses.
Eighty-four percent of professionals feel qualifications in sustainability could be vital to improving their current employability. Almost two thirds (60 percent) of professionals have sought out and gained sustainability qualifications already to this end, and a further 86 percent want to acquire these credentials within their field of expertise.
Rob Searle, commercial director at CareerStructure.com, said: "Sustainable development needs to be a focus for government; the market is there and industry primed to deliver. In fact, 60 percent of professionals feel sustainability qualifications should be mandatory, suggesting that this way of working is now – and will in the future be – a huge focus for industry. Retrofitting and efficient energy developments are just the start of a much wider programme of infrastructure investments that will not only serve to demonstrate the UK's commitment to tackling climate change, but will also deliver significant growth in the process."
Cat Hirst, education manager at the UK Green Building Council, said: "Green is no longer an optional extra for when times are good. It offers the potential to help provide much-needed growth and jobs across the sector, particularly in retrofit. To make the most of that, having the right staff with the right knowledge and skills is absolutely essential."
Some employers are putting measures into place to make sustainability qualifications mandatory. Forty-four percent of built environment professionals have been asked by an employer to demonstrate sustainability experience or qualifications. Professionals surveyed stated that they believe evidence of sustainability knowledge, such as a qualification and accreditation, will become a more common requirement for employers in the future (86 percent).
