New data from LinkedIn indicates that among Gen Z professionals in the UAE, there is a trend toward green jobs.
Indeed, the data revealed that for Gen Zs, climate awareness and eco-anxiety are translating into action, including in the workplace.
In fact, 61 per cent of Gen Z professionals now say that they would consider turning down a job opportunity if they do not believe in the employer’s green policies.
Fifty-nine per cent are also interested in working in a green job over the next five years.
This interest is driven by:
- Their desire to protect the environment (57 per cent),
- Their belief that there are good opportunities in green jobs (51 per cent), and
- the potential for better financial compensation (49 per cent).
That being said, the research also indicated a green skills gap among this demographic.
Gen Z professionals were found to be underrepresented in having green skills compared to other cohorts.
While Millenials made up 65 per cent of green-skilled professionals, Gen Z made up just 15 per cent.
At the same time, only 16 per cent believe adequate training is available to them to acquire the green skills that would help them compete for these roles.
Further, just 3 in 10 Gen Z professionals in the UAE have a good awareness of the available green roles, with 63 per cent believing that there’s a general lack of green opportunities in the labour market.
In the country, Gen Zs said they would be more encouraged to complete green skills training with financial support (62 per cent) and employer-driven programs and government incentives (50 per cent).
Ali Matar, EMEA Growth Markets Leader at LinkedIn, commented: “Gen Z professionals are projected to represent over a quarter of the international labor force by 2025, so it is important that employers listen more closely to them. This generation is unyielding in their demand for green policies that match their values from their employers and decision-makers, and they are becoming increasingly aware of their role in addressing environmental issues. The first step for them is to acquire the green skills that would enable them to do so; an endeavor that would require the full weight of the labor market actors.”