The coal history of Greater Poland is coming to an end, and the cornerstone of change is green skills. What is it all about?
Konin, Koło, Turek – until recently, these three cities in Greater Poland were associated with one thing: lignite. That’s now a thing of the past. Today, not only the eastern part of Greater Poland but the whole region is undergoing a dynamic green transformation. Within the next 15 years, that is by 2040, the region’s economy is set to become low-emission and climate-neutral, with coal being replaced by renewable energy sources and a circular economy (CE), which is based on minimizing the use of raw materials and the generation of waste.
The green transformation plan for Greater Poland includes: reclamation of post-mining areas (water and forest reclamation), development of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biogas, and green hydrogen), and the creation of new green jobs (through training, consulting, and climate education). These goals are to be supported by 400 million euros coming into the region from the Just Transition Fund by 2027.
Green skills in everyday life
Every resident of Greater Poland can and should get involved in the region’s green transformation. First, the change is inevitable. Second, there’s only something to gain. An ecological attitude improves daily quality of life, helps transform one’s surroundings, and also creates real professional opportunities.
Green skills have many dimensions. They include knowledge about the environment and ecology, professional skills (needed in green sectors), awareness, attitudes, abilities, and behaviors. The key is the ability to adapt to climate and related technological changes. A pro-environmental attitude isn’t just declarations, but real everyday choices: replacing an old furnace with a less polluting heating system, saving water and electricity, sorting waste, avoiding plastic, riding a bike, buying local food and not wasting it, reading labels and being resistant to marketing actions falsely suggesting that a product or service is ecological, so-called greenwashing.
… and green skills as an opportunity for a good job
According to a report by the Lewiatan Confederation on green competences and jobs by 2030, the energy transition in Poland is expected to create about 300,000 new jobs – including new professions and so-called green jobs* – and one of the main competences employers are looking for is the ability to operate in situations of uncertainty.
A smart development path may be to train and certify in energy efficiency and energy audits (thermal modernization of buildings, optimization of heat and electricity consumption, etc.) or green reclamation of post-industrial sites – some universities already offer such courses of study.
The green jobs market also includes: consulting in technology or pro-environmental social campaigns, educational services in the field of implementing ecological solutions, and administration that ensures a public space that is friendly to both residents and the environment.
It is already worthwhile to take an interesting training course, organized among others by the Polish Green Network, the Greater Poland Entrepreneurship Development Agency, and the Sendzimir Foundation. It’s also a good idea to follow EU programs and apply for grants for local initiatives and the green development of your company, including those under the Just Transition Fund, the LIFE program supporting environmental and climate actions, or the GO! Z project, which supports enterprises in developing green economy skills.
*The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) defines green jobs as those that meet at least one of the following criteria: they occur in enterprises producing goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, or the duties of workers in these jobs include making production processes more environmentally friendly or using fewer natural resources.
Want to improve your green skills and keep up to date with what opportunities Greater Poland has to offer in this area? Visit the page LLL in Greater Poland | Facebook