Adapting Skills for the Climate Economy

Most of the advice for breaking into a climate career is now dangerously out of date. For years, the playbook has been singular: learn about solar, wind and EVs. That advice just became a fraction of the story. Last week, the Australian Government released two landmark documents: the National Climate Risk Assessment and the National Adaptation Plan. More than simply policy papers, they are a formal declaration that a second, parallel climate economy is here. The '𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆'. Backed by a A$9 billion commitment, the focus is no longer just on preventing future change. It’s on managing the reality that’s already here. The Risk Assessment provides the sobering 'why', confirming in stark detail the cascading impacts on our infrastructure, economy and communities. The Adaptation Plan provides the 'how', like investing in nature-based solutions such as the mangrove ecosystems that protect our coastlines (pictured). It creates a vast new frontier for career-transitioners. And it’s already the lived reality of the professionals building this new economy, many of whom are members of our Climate Crew community. It requires the urban planning skills of leaders like Roland Chanin-Morris of Ramboll, who is designing our future resilient cities. But physical assets are only half the picture. True resilience is built at the community level, which is why the strategic engagement work of founders like Nicole Dennis of Cobalt Engagement – leading those complex on-the-ground conversations – is now an essential service. This new reality also demands a new kind of strategist. People like Josue Castro of BWD Strategic, who has pivoted his high-level government experience to help organisations navigate climate risk, and systems thinkers like Oliver Dykes at Deloitte, who redesign entire organisations for a resilient future. Underpinning it all is a revolution in finance, driven by innovators like Renate Crollini of Adaluma Tech, who is building the tools to embed risk into capital decisions, guided by the global expertise of policy architects like Linda Romanovska of Melomys Advisory, who co-authors the international frameworks that make this possible. If you are a career seeker, I encourage you to connect with the people whose work you find most relevant. This is what Climate Crew is for: to make the connections that build the future. The message is clear. We don't 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 need renewable energy engineers. We need builders, planners, financiers and organisers. Your skills are now climate skills. The opportunity to find your life's work in climate has never been greater. #ClimateCareers #ClimateAdaptation #GreenJobs #ClimateAction #CareerTransition #NationalAdaptationPlan #WorkOnClimate Image: Mangroves in Woy Woy, NSW. Sourced from the National Adaptation Plan (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water). © Commonwealth of Australia. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

Want to break into climate? I’ve had over 200 career calls with climate job seekers within the past year. Here are the 4 most commonly asked questions and my best answers: ⭐ How can I get a head start in college?  • Focus your coursework and internships on an expertise/industry pair, like marketing and sustainable fashion, business and regenerative agriculture, or data science and energy. • If you can’t decide on a niche, build versatile skills like finance, engineering, design, and sales. These skills are needed across climate-focused organizations. • Most recommended internship board: EDICT Internship Program by Elemental Excelerator 💫 How can I switch to climate from another industry? • Opportunities can be found in solution-focused organizations (e.g., Pachama, Kevala), sustainability/CSR teams (e.g., Carhartt, Adobe), and governmental offices (e.g., NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)). • Many people try to overhaul their entire career. Instead, try changing only one variable at a time: seek a similar role in a new industry or a new role in a familiar industry (eg; marketing in fashion → marketing at a SaaS company like Recurate). • Mentorship, freelancing, and certificates can bridge the gap in industry experience. • Most recommended mentorship opportunities: Third Derivative and GrowthMentor ✨ How do I choose a niche?  • Standing out in climate requires being a near-perfect fit. Find the intersection of what you're good at, what you love, what you can be paid for, and what's needed across climate efforts. • Hop on career calls with folks across domains and industries to learn more about the day-to-day of their roles. • Most recommended starting points for market research: Climatebase, Work on Climate, CareerOneStop, and Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) 🌎 Do I need to join a program like Terra.do, Work on Climate, or OnePointFive (opf.degree)?  • These programs are helpful but not necessary. Free resources like coaching calls, videos, and podcasts can be valuable too. • Remember that “climate” isn’t really a standalone job! Consider how you can provide value to a climate-focused team and focus on building credibility in your desired solution sector (energy, agriculture, etc.). • Most recommended programs: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Reforge, and Stanford University's certificates. -- Interested in a free careers session? • Check out the Work on Climate Expert Office Hours list and the #OpenDoorClimate list, launched by Daniel Hill. Interested in breaking into climate as a marketer? • Here's a comprehensive guide I put together: https://lnkd.in/gUqyFh_b I did my best to keep this post short. If anybody has more they’d like to add for climate job seekers, please add it to the comments. Thank you! Illustration by @tatooine_girl

Starting a Career in Climate feels like being lost in the desert. To find water, you must first ignore everyone telling you this 👇 → If you try hard enough, it’ll work. → Just apply for more jobs → It’s a numbers game. → Next week is better. Do this instead 👇 1️⃣ Fundamentals First Look at the entire climate economy. Pick two sub-sectors. 2️⃣ Find your Transferable Skills Most people completely underestimate their professional skills. Write down the answer to: “What am I really good at and why?” 3️⃣ Find your Pitch Find somebody doing your “future” job in a climate company. Ask them how they do their job. Learn the language of a climate company in your target sector. And then use that intel to refine your pitch. 4️⃣ Think Skills-Sector Fit. Not Impact. Everyone wants to work on something with a huge CO2 impact. BUT Don’t re-invent yourself so you can work in a “big impact” sector. Go where your skills fit best. Because the best impact is the impact that happens. Not the impact you keep chasing but never materializes. Use this list to find water in the desert. And make yourself successful 🙌 ---- PS. I’m Marco Morawec. I up-skilled 1,000s of people to transition into new careers. I’m doing the same for Climate now. 👉 Follow me ( Marco Morawec) and my company Climate Drift for Stories + Strategies + Resources to launch your Climate Career.

How can Europe transition towards a more sustainable economy without significantly impacting workers in rapidly changing industries? And what role can employers and policymakers play in reskilling Europe's workforce? These two questions were posed to me by Pieter Cranenbroek and Sarah Ohlson of LinkedIn News Europe and I’m happy to share my thoughts on them.   Climate change is one of the great challenges of this century. To set the right course today, a green transformation is needed, which requires all industries to adapt. The same applies to millions of people working for automotive manufacturers and suppliers. While we often talk about the impact on the economy in a broad sense, this #transformation affects all our employees. As their occupational fields and the demands placed on them change, it is important that we also think about their future prospects. As an employer, we acknowledge our responsibility to turn this change into opportunity: to bring our employees “from work to work,” whether within our company or through strong partnerships with other employers. At Continental, we follow two approaches: 1. In-house: lifelong learning To successfully shape this change, we need a culture of lifelong learning and continued education. That is why we founded the Continental Institute for Technology and Transformation (CITT) in 2019. The #CITT helps to train employees for an ever-changing working world and shape transformation responsibly. By the third quarter of 2023, almost 9,300 colleagues had participated in the program.   2. Cross-sector: forming strong alliances We are opening up new job opportunities within Continental and with other companies. We cannot shape this transformation alone; we need strong partners. At our plant in Gifhorn in Germany, we are demonstrating just that. Besides training our employees at the CITT, we are conducting talks with heat pump manufacturer Stiebel Eltron about the continuation of the location after Continental plans to phase out its business activities at the site by 2027. Furthermore, associations such as the #AllianzderChancen with 62 companies are driving the creation of networks in the economy that are needed across all sectors to shape the working world of tomorrow. We all agree on the desired goal of the transformation: to keep Europe attractive as a business location, to create sustainable innovations and to secure employment. To do this, we must define a realistic path without getting caught up in bureaucracy. This can only be achieved together and in a spirit of joined forces with everyone involved. #JoiningForces #TurningChangeIntoOpportunity

1.7 million new jobs in India’s renewable energy sector by 2027, but here’s the catch: only 450,000 of the existing tech talent is employable🚨😎 Looks like we have a massive skills gap on our hands! I’ve been reflecting on this as someone who’s navigated the sustainability space for over a decade and launched All Bits Count to make climate action easier and more accessible🌍 While it’s inspiring to see the renewable energy sector booming, the challenge lies in getting more professionals—both early and seasoned—to reskill and step into these roles. 💼 When I started my journey in sustainability, I had to constantly pivot and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of green skills. It wasn’t always easy, but here’s the thing: the demand for these skills is only going to keep growing, and the earlier we start, the better. 🌱🔋 Here are 3 simple ways to start today: 1️⃣ Think beyond traditional learning. No need to enrol in full-time degrees. Short courses on LinkedIn for Learning, Udemy, Coursera, Terra.do in renewable energy, carbon footprint analysis, or sustainable finance can give you an edge. 2️⃣ Use what you’ve got. Already in marketing, tech, or project management? These skills are highly transferable to the green sector. You don’t need to start from scratch—just pivot. 3️⃣ Network in the green space. Join sustainability communities like Women and Climate, Creatives for Climate Collective, Clean Creatives, and Work on Climate. Attend green energy events, and follow companies/ individuals making waves. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people opens doors. Let’s be real—this shift is happening with or without us. The difference will be made by those willing to reskill, adapt, and embrace the future. Agree? 🔖 Drop your thoughts or questions in the comments, and remember—All Bits Count (especially yours). 🔗 The Economic Times coverage: https://lnkd.in/gHWm_w6j #GreenSkills #CareerGrowth #India #Sustainability #FutureOfWork