‘Green’ job postings jump 93%, but jobseekers wary

So-called ‘green’ job postings in Ireland are up over 90% since 2019, new data shows.

The research from hiring platform Indeed highlights the growing demand for such roles, with sustainability now a top priority for many businesses.

But the data suggests that companies are struggling to recruit for these positions, with searches by jobseekers down 7%.

The data reveals a number of misconceptions associated with ‘green’ jobs, which may be turning people away.

40% of those surveyed believe that sustainability jobs are low paid, while 63% think these types of roles are only found in certain industries.

While most feel these jobs would be interesting and varied, almost 40% said they unsure about the kind of requirements needed to work in this area.

“Sustainability is now one of the key considerations at the top of everyone’s agenda,” said Jack Kennedy, Senior Economist at Indeed.

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He said the need for professionals in this area will continue to grow across a variety of industries – as Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations become a standard part of doing business.

“The EU has recently mandated non-financial ESG reporting for businesses with over 500 employees starting from January 2024,” he explained.

“Additionally, in 2023, the European Commission introduced the first European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), requiring companies with specified EU activity levels to submit annual sustainability reports alongside their financial statements.

“Integration of ESG requirements in business reporting like this means ESG and sustainability roles will soon become as integral to businesses as finance or marketing,” he added.

Today’s research shows that companies are facing a number of barriers and challenges when it comes to recruiting for ‘green’ roles.

These include a lack of candidates with the right skills, and not being sure of where to find such candidates.

Others said they didn’t have enough of a budget to get the right staff, while some said they feared being perceived to be ‘greenwashing’.

Meanwhile, 38% of companies said there was a lack of understanding within their organisation of how such jobs would improve their business.

Mr Kennedy of Indeed said businesses need to focus on upskilling the current workforce to meet demand, in addition to investing in new generations.

“Ultimately, this will be necessary not only to meet the needs of the growing job market but also strengthen Ireland’s green transition efforts,” he added.

According to today’s survey findings, 65% of employees would be willing to retrain for a sustainability role.

The data from Indeed was published today to coincide with Earth Day.