Driving change: Exploring the Green Skills Award

Maria Lvova-Zolotarevskaya, ETF

This article is a display of international good practice with some incredibly inspiring examples of change from the ETF’s Green Skills Awards. These awards celebrate the most innovative and outstanding grassroots initiatives in environmental education and sustainable skills development from around the world. These showcase an abundance of excellent ideas in many fields, including renewable energy, education, the circular economy and governmental policy, to name but a few. The winners represent the absolute best practice in green skills development worldwide.

In 2021, the European Training Foundation launched the Green Skills Award. Created to gain insights into the latest developments in green education and training from across the globe, it has become an annual competition of best practice in green skills development. The award has two main functions.

• It gathers the most innovative and outstanding grassroots initiatives in environmental education and sustainable skills development.
• It also sends a signal to policymakers, inspiring them to act and introduce policies that support green skills development on a broader scale.

Over the years, the award has grown in stature and reach. By 2024, it was attracting hundreds of applications from all over the world, showcasing the global response to climate change challenges. These applications range from individual educators in Lebanon working on green skills and community-driven recycling initiatives in Türkiye to large-scale e-waste management projects in Kenya and government-led modernisation of curricula in Georgia. The wide range of stories collected since 2021 highlights the diverse approaches to addressing environmental sustainability through education.

Initiatives highlighted by the award showcase an abundance of excellent ideas. Selecting winners from the multitude of submissions is therefore a complex task. Guided by criteria such as innovation, impact and scalability, the international jury of experts selects 10 finalists each year. These represent the absolute best practice in green skills development worldwide. The overall winner is decided by a public vote, while the jury selects those in second and third places. This method not only honours exceptional achievements in green skills but also encourages a wider audience to commit to sustainable solutions. The award has thus solidified its position as a platform for sharing best practice, inspiring collaboration and catalysing systemic change.

🌍Going global

Over the course of four editions of the award, applications have come in from all over the world, demonstrating the truly global reach and impact of the initiative. They also span many fields, including renewable energy, education, the circular economy and governmental policy, to name but a few. From New Zealand to Peru, from Madagascar to the Netherlands, from South Africa to Brazil, the stories highlight the breadth and depth of efforts to promote green skills and sustainability across different regions, contexts, societies and sectors.

💪Vocational education and training driving change

The winners and finalists of the award demonstrated a strong emphasis on vocational education and training as catalysts for change. Initiatives like Lebanon's Zero Waste, Kenya's E-Waste Management, or Ukraine's Environmental Management prioritise education to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to address climate change effectively. These projects show how integrating green components into vocational training curricula can promote not only skills development but also active community involvement and behaviour change.

• Lebanon's Zero Waste Project was the winner of the 2023 Green Skills Award. Led by Faten Sleem, it showcased a unique grassroots approach to addressing Lebanon's waste crisis through education. By founding the first zero-waste school in the country, Sleem enabled students to drive change in their communities. The project incorporated a detailed waste management plan into the school's curriculum, effectively reducing waste and encouraging community participation, including local businesses and NGOs. This initiative highlights the power of education in fostering environmentally friendly practice and inspiring change in behaviour.
• In Ukraine, initiatives like the Energy Innovative Hubs and the EMAU-Academy are transforming vocational training schools and universities into centres of excellence for energy efficiency, providing students with practical, hands-on experience and preparing them for careers in the green economy. 
• Similarly, in France and Belgium, the Label Ecole training centre offers programmes encouraging participants to pursue careers in fields such as e-commerce and web development while promoting green mindset. 
• In Italy, start-ups like Atelier Riforma collaborate with vocational training schools to deliver upcycling courses to fashion students, fostering creativity and entrepreneurship while reducing the carbon pollution of the fashion industry.

Such initiatives are essential for developing the next wave of green innovators and professionals, equipping them with essential technical skills and promoting a culture of cooperation. The success stories from the Green Skills Award underscore the value of strategic partnerships between educational institutions, government bodies, businesses, NGOs and communities in driving sustainable development.

⚡The power of collaboration and partnership

Collaboration is as a key theme among award applications. Many initiatives showcase partnerships between local communities, international organisations, academia, NGOs and government agencies. 

• The collaboration between Morocco and Spain in support of the Bouregreg Med-O-Med Gardening School secured a second place in the 2023 Green Skills Award competition. It showcased a holistic approach to vocational training and environmental sustainability. Situated on a rehabilitated landfill site, the school offers vocational diplomas in ecological gardening, providing job opportunities for marginalised youth. With a curriculum developed in partnership with Spanish institutions and tailored to Moroccan standards, the school equips students with practical skills while promoting green employment in the gardening sector. Its success not only addresses youth unemployment but also contributes to landscape regeneration and green awareness in Morocco.
• The story of WeCareSolar shows how partnership can drive meaningful change in Sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative, born out of the need for a reliable electricity supply in medical facilities, has evolved into a global movement, thanks to collaboration between local communities, governments, NGOs and education institutions. WeCareSolar has developed innovative solutions, such as its Solar Suitcase, providing sustainable lighting and electricity to over 12 million mothers and newborns across Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Through strategic partnerships with government and NGOs, the project has supported local communities by training over 700 people in solar energy. Many of these are women. Indeed, WeCareSolar's education programmes have provided women with technical knowledge on solar panels and challenged entrenched gender norms, leading to positive social transformation.
• Collaboration is the key element of the project Energy Efficiency Reforms in Ukraine, which was selected as a finalist of the Green Skills Award 2021. The initiative is a collaboration between GIZ, Ukrainian institutions, vocational training schools and businesses that addresses the pressing need for workers that are skilled in modern energy-efficient technologies and practices. The project aims to bridge the skills gap in Ukraine's energy sector by developing new professional qualifications and vocational training programmes in energy efficiency. The involvement of vocational education providers and businesses ensures that the training aligns with industry needs and standards, while collaboration with companies facilitates work-based learning and internships. This gives students practical experience. Partnerships with government agencies and regional authorities ensure that the project addresses broader societal needs and aligns with national strategies in energy efficiency and skills development. This collaborative approach not only improves the quality of vocational education but also contributes to Ukraine's transition towards a green and energy-efficient society.
• In the Netherlands, the European Platform for Urban Greening (EPLUG), a finalist of the Green Skills Award 2021, brings together VET providers, municipalities, regional authorities and businesses to develop practical solutions for urban greening. Established in late 2020 with co-funding from the Erasmus+ programme, EPLUG involves five other vocational education and training (VET) providers from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Romania and Spain. The project promotes skills development for sustainable infrastructure projects, such as green facades, rooftop gardens and living buildings, while also emphasising the importance of biodiversity conservation and climate resilience in urban landscapes. By bringing together knowledge and experience from different European countries, EPLUG has supported numerous successful urban greening projects and contributed to urban biodiversity, improved climate resilience and increased public engagement in sustainable urban development. 

In all of the cases mentioned here, collaboration not only leveraged expertise and resources but also promoted knowledge exchange and capacity building, ultimately enhancing the sustainability and scalability of the initiatives.

🤖Innovating through technology

Participants in the Green Skills Award emphasise innovation and technology in tackling environmental challenges. Projects like the 2023 Award finalists Carbon Academy in Indonesia and the ClimateNet project in Armenia use digital technology to democratise climate education and motivate young people to explore real-life solutions to climate change.

• From Indonesia, Mohammad Naufal's Carbon Academy is transforming global climate education by offering free online courses and resources accessible to learners worldwide. Utilising digital platforms and cutting-edge Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology, Carbon Academy collects real-time environmental data, including on natural resources, soil, surface water, ambient air quality and climate trends. This data is then incorporated into the academy's online courses, providing learners with up-to-date information on climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. IoT technology enables Carbon Academy to deliver interactive and immersive learning experiences, including virtual simulations, augmented reality applications and interactive modules. This allows learners to engage directly with complex climate concepts. This method not only boosts educational effectiveness but also deepens understanding of climate issues, fostering a green mindset.
• The Armenian ClimateNet project, led by the TUMO Centre for Creative Technologies, aims to engage youth in climate action and increase their awareness of the impact of climate change. ClimateNet sets up online weather stations deployed across the country. These stations collect vital environmental data while also functioning as educational tools, allowing young people to actively participate in climate monitoring and analysis. Harnessing innovation and technology, ClimateNet teaches young people how to interpret and utilise the data effectively. By integrating innovative training programmes within the centre’s own educational framework, ClimateNet led the way towards incorporating green literacy into Armenia's education.
• In Georgia, initiatives like Construct2's bricklaying course are completely changing the construction industry's approach to sustainability. Georgia's construction sector, like many around the world, has traditionally relied on conventional materials with little regard to their environmental impact. Construct2 is challenging this by promoting the use of eco-friendly building materials such as aerated concrete blocks. Through hands-on training and education, workers are equipped with the skills to make their work on construction sites across the country more sustainable. By reducing the carbon footprint of building projects, Construct2 not only mitigates environmental damage but also sets a precedent for a more sustainable approach to construction in general. Collaboration between industry stakeholders and educational institutions helps to mainstream these practices throughout the country.

🏆From the award to policy actions

The interest in the Green Skills Award and the stories it has yielded in the past four years all serve to highlight the significant role of grassroots initiatives in promoting sustainability and green skills development. Many of these efforts provide effective solutions to urgent climate change challenges through education, collaboration and innovation. They contribute to economic growth, enhancing community resilience and fostering social cohesion. 

But the Green Skills Award projects are grassroots initiatives and to fully unlock their potential and effectively address climate change on the scale needed, policymakers must act decisively. They must make green skills development a key aspect of sustainable development strategies. They must update national curricula. They must back grassroots efforts. 

Incorporating successful green skills programmes into policy frameworks is crucial for increasing their effect. Policymakers need to recognise the value of successful grassroots projects and seize the opportunity to integrate their concepts and methodologies into wider policy measures. This will broaden their impact and guarantee their ongoing viability. 

Meaningful change occurs when grassroots initiatives are supported, creating environments that empower people and organisations to grow their projects and replicate successful approaches on a broader scale.

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