Transitioning to Jobs in the Clean Economy

One in five Canadian employees works at a job that’s vulnerable to automation. The clean economy is a rapid-growth sector that needs workers. Is there a way to solve for both?

Employees working high-risk, low-mobility (HRLM) jobs have few options to transition into lower-risk occupations without undergoing retraining.

Transitioning workers to the clean (or green) economy addresses multiple labour market challenges. It’s also timely, given the Canadian government’s focus on climate change and integrating clean technologies to meet global targets.

See our latest releases on transitioning to jobs in the clean economy.

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Rapid-growth clean economy jobs are a good opportunity

Most HRLM workers are willing to work in clean economy jobs. Nearly three-fourths of workers we surveyed responded positively when asked if they’d be willing to transition.

Workers want high-quality, long-lasting jobs they can take pride in. Any hesitancy in transitioning to the clean economy isn’t necessarily about the clean economy itself—it’s about whether these new jobs offer the same level of security as workers’ existing jobs.

The good news

Clean economy occupation pathways are open to nearly all workers with a HRLM occupation with sufficient retraining. But these transitions vary considerably by skillset, and the ability to transition is uneven across the provinces.

The opportunity

Given the transition barriers and the scale of the issue, employers, governments, and other stakeholders need to provide stronger support for re-skilling and up-skilling at-risk workers, and address career transition barriers.

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Why is this research important?

High-risk occupations exist across provinces.

The green transition will create more job opportunities. But it will change the skills required in existing occupations.

As technology adoption increases, skills gaps will keep growing.

Barriers such as compensation and job security, come in the way of workers transitioning.

There is an opportunity to provide training and facilitate transitioning to other occupations, such as those in the clean economy.

“As the pace of technology adoption increases, skills gaps will continue to grow as the desired mix of skills changes within and across occupations in the years to come.”

Darren Gresch

Senior Research Associate, The Conference Board of Canada

Recent releases

Two men in construction gear on roof of a house

How Governments and Agencies Can Build the Bridge to Clean Economy Careers

The clean economy is one of multiple rapidly growing sectors in Canada. In our investigation, we began by identifying industries that could be classified as green due to their central role in the transition. Then, we identified green occupations within those industries. To compare green and HRLM occupations, we developed a comprehensive inventory of skills, knowledge requirements, and wages. We estimated the years of training and skills acquisition required to move from the HRLM jobs to the green jobs.

Issue briefing | 6-min read
July 28, 2022

The Journey to Clean Economy Careers

These rapid-growth jobs align more closely with the future direction of the Canadian economy. Preparing workers to follow those paths—and encouraging them to take them—will be key near-term challenges for educational institutions, career counsellors, and funding agencies alike.

Summary for executives | 5-min read
February 22, 2022

Green Occupation Pathways: From Vulnerable Jobs to Rapid-Growth Careers

The nature of work in Canada is changing. So is our climate. Can we alleviate both needs? Designing and implementing viable responses to automation requires a thorough understanding of the opportunities available to HRLM workers. Helping to transition these workers into highgrowth sectors of the economy is ideal (e.g., technology, cannabis, services). But policy responses that integrate with other public priorities will be the most effective and efficient.

Impact paper | 23-min read
February 2, 2022

Spokesperson: Darren Gresch

About this study

The Conference Board of Canada, on behalf of the Future Skills Centre, is leading a study that explores the labour market impacts of automation in Canada.

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