Introduction
The landscape of the future job market is shifting towards sustainability. As industries grapple with environmental challenges and strive for net-zero goals, the demand for a workforce equipped with Green skills grows. But how do we foster the knowledge, values, and attitudes in students required for a resource-efficient society? How can we embed these qualities into a diverse curriculum and support our students to flourish?
(Image by Headway, freely available on Unsplash. This image has been optimised using Lossy compression)
According to the ‘Future of Jobs Report 2025’ published by the World Economic Forum, digital skills are in demand. AI and big data top the list, followed by cybersecurity and technological skills. Digital technologies are powerful tools that can help address problems, but are they an end-all solution in themselves? We need to cultivate digital skills in tandem with creative thinking, resilience and flexibility that will equip students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
This involves much more than traditional environmental awareness but also an understanding of digital sustainability. There is a nuanced relationship between digital and sustainability that demands scrutiny if we are to truly use digital as a force for good. Integrating these competencies, often intertwined with digital literacy, into education is key.
Embedding Sustainability
Insights from our discussions with colleges and universities reveal a growing focus on embedding sustainability across curricula. Often these initiatives are coupled with a growing trend to review sustainable infrastructure across physical sites with curriculum focused on environmental practices.
However, while the broader sustainability agenda with topics such as climate anxiety and our over-reliance on plastic is important, gaps remain regarding digital sustainability. Embracing digital technologies saves on travel and has benefits for engaging students, but we need to ensure we are using digital wisely. Educating students on the broader sustainability agenda using digital is one thing, but we must consider the environmental impact of our digital activities, products and services too.
Institutions recognise the need for a holistic approach, supported by leadership and embedded throughout college life. This includes leveraging induction and tutorial programmes, which already cover digital learning aspects like AI, as an opportunity to flag digital sustainability concerns early on. Raising visibility through dedicated themed events, such as Green Week, also plays a vital role in raising awareness.
Integrating Green Themes Across the Curriculum
Mapping sustainability to curriculum areas is a key challenge identified in the earlier post Early findings from the digital sustainability interviews. How do we make sustainability, particularly digital sustainability, relevant across diverse subject areas? And how do we engage students who may see these topics as “additional” to their core studies?
To address this, educators are creating diverse resources like targeted PowerPoints, quizzes, and short, bite-sized videos focusing on topics like AI’s environmental impact. Scenario-based learning in digital contexts, tailored to different student levels, also helps to cultivate critical thinking.
Producing guidance to help staff contextualise sustainability for everyday life often begins by identifying themes in core subjects. This provides a starting point and allows more nuanced examples to develop. For some institutions, plans are in place to develop dedicated digital sustainability modules and the ALT SIG also has content in the pipeline.
Student Engagement
According to the Green Alliance, 94% of people aged 15 to 24 are looking for green jobs and careers. While students are motivated to work for responsible companies, a significant challenge lies in raising awareness about the digital can have on the broader sustainability agenda (both positive and negative).
At many institutions, student digital champions are at the forefront of kickstarting discussions on topics like AI ethics and sustainability. Facilitating deeper discussions is crucial for raising awareness and promoting critical thinking about technology’s broader footprint beyond just energy saving.
Cultivating Essential Green Competencies
One of the core questions used in the interviews during the project asked: what skills do students need to be responsible and digitally sustainable citizens?
Beyond general awareness, students need to apply sustainability principles within their disciplines. Critical thinking about the environmental and ethical impacts of technology featured highly, along with understanding concepts like the circular economy and proficiency in using digital tools responsibly.
Crucially, it includes a blend of practical digital skills and a deeper understanding of the environmental impact of digital, such as:
- effective data management. Learning to clean up and delete redundant data to reduce storage energy consumption, akin to a ‘digital spring clean.’ Checking the version history of files, especially large file sizes generated by video and high-res images are especially costly.
- responsible social media use, understanding the associated data privacy and online safety risks. Again, assessing the environmental cost of sharing too many images and videos.
- choosing the right digital tool for the job. This involves understanding the potential of technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), which can reduce travel and support vocational teaching. However, their full environmental impact over the lifecycle should also be considered.
- Optimising file sizes by using image compression tools can significantly reduce file sizes.
- utilising cloud storage platforms (like Office 365) efficiently to share and collaborate on documents, avoiding the burden of multiple copies.
- data analysis skills and the ability to present data to tell meaningful stories are transferable skills for many jobs and are critical for challenging misinformation on the internet about climate change.
- making informed decisions about when and how to use AI tools, balancing benefits with their environmental costs. Watch this video from the Blended Learning Consortium for an overview.
- Understanding dark mode settings on digital platforms is valuable, as it supports accessibility by easing visual strain for light-sensitive users and contributes to sustainability through reduced energy use on compatible screens.
- technology is transforming the workplace, with more jobs now involving real-time communication skills between remote and hybrid teams. Students who can demonstrate proficiency with digital platforms that boost productivity and reduce the need to travel have an edge.
Assessing these skills requires moving beyond exams towards practical application, problem-solving, and potentially dedicated certifications.
