Unpacking Green jobs in parliament
Research Fellow James Robson appeared before the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee at the Houses of Parliament on 5 March 2025. He gave expert evidence on workforce planning and education and training pathways to deliver clean, secure energy.
James addressed a range of issues, including how difficult it is to even define Green jobs. He explained how he identifies in three strands: ‘completely new jobs, jobs that require new skills… and those jobs where the envelope around them shifts and they become Green.
He stressed the ‘need to shift the language from talking about jobs, and green jobs, to talking about careers – that’s what actually matters… shifting the focus from talking about the short term to talking about the long term.’
James co-convened the Green Templeton Lectures 2025 on sustainability education. These included a discussion led by Chris Skidmore, the former MP who led the net zero review that proposed the creation of this Select Committee.
Dr James Robson is a Research Fellow at Green Templeton College and an Associate Professor of Tertiary Education Systems and Director of the Centre for Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) in the Department of Education, University of Oxford. He leads the MSc in Higher Education at the department.
James’ research is focused on the political economy of Tertiary Education systems bringing together key interests in education and employment, the critical study of skills supply and demand, research and innovation ecosystems, social and epistemic justice, and sustainability.
