Question reference: S6W-19781
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 4 July 2023
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Current status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 July 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what urgent action it is taking to address any green skills shortages, in light of reported concerns that not doing so will undermine Scotland’s and the UK’s progress towards a green economy.
Answer
Nearly every sector of the economy, from finance to chemistry to engineering, has a vital role to play as we transition to a net zero economy. This is why green skills are central to the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation.
In addition to supporting the growth of green skills through targeted initiatives such the Green Jobs Fund and funding colleges to roll-out training on green technologies such as electric vehicles, the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan, published in 2020, is making sure that Scotland has the evidence-base needed to understand and respond to the scale and shape of the skills and labour needs of the emerging net zero economy. The Scottish Government intends to publish an updated plan by the end of this year.