FACTSHEET - Green Skills Award 2025: finalist projects and special award winner
Kazakhstan – Mangystau Energy College renewable energy dual training programme.
The Mangystau Energy College is preparing a future workforce for clean energy through an accredited renewable energy specialisation delivered in a dual training format. The programme blends classroom learning, lab practice and industrial placements to build skills in installation, diagnostics, maintenance and automation of renewable systems. With strong links to regional employers, it helps align training with labour market needs, including opportunities for graduates to bring energy solutions to underserved rural communities.
North Macedonia. Best Business Concept for Green Innovation
This long-running national initiative engages secondary school and university students, together with their teachers, in developing practical solutions to environmental challenges through green entrepreneurship. Active for more than 18 years, it involves over 100 students and more than 50 teachers each year and generates more than 35 green business ideas annually. Supported by universities, vocational excellence centres and EU-funded programmes, it strengthens links between education and employment while enabling young people to develop, pitch and scale green innovations with real market potential.
Spain. POWAR STEAM (Barcelona)
POWAR STEAM is an initiative which delivers hands-on, data-driven climate education through interactive STEAM tools, including environmental sensors and a climate simulator. Students measure environmental conditions, test hypotheses and explore climate scenarios, strengthening digital skills, critical thinking and sustainability literacy. The initiative also supports teachers with ready-to-use learning scenarios that turn climate science into applied learning.
Tunisia – CBS Training: green skills and entrepreneurship for rural women.
CBS Training has been empowering women in southern Tunisia through practical training, entrepreneurship support and sustainability learning that connects skills to livelihoods. By integrating green entrepreneurship and circular-economy awareness across programmes, it supports women to launch businesses, access employment and become community change agents. The initiative combines local outreach with mentoring and partnerships that strengthen both inclusion and scaling potential.
Türkiye. Solar School Project (Antalya)
Led by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, funded by the EU and partners including Çanakkale University and the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR), the project reaches out to young people aged 18–29 who are out of education system and the labour market, equips them with job-relevant renewable energy skills. It combines online learning with hands-on training at photovoltaic stations and tailored employment support, helping participants transition into the growing solar energy sector.
#ForOurPlanet Award winner: Malaysia
Introduced in 2025 together with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment and the European External Action Service, the #ForOurPlanet Award recognises excellence in circular economy education. The 2025 award was granted to a student-led initiative from Malaysia, implemented at Sekolah Indonesia Kota Kinabalu (SIKK). The project uses black soldier fly bioconversion to transform food waste into compost and animal feed, combining hands-on science education, behaviour change and inclusive climate learning.