The ITS Education Asia Foundation’s Post

🌿 Excited to have participated in the OECD's insightful webinar, "Building Green Futures: How can students understand and progress towards green careers?" 🌱 Key takeaways: -Green Career Guidance: Providing students with green career guidance is essential for addressing the demands of the labor market as it shifts towards more sustainable practices. -Rapid Growth of Green Jobs: While green jobs are expanding at an impressive rate, the existing skills gaps and shortages pose a significant challenge that needs to be addressed to meet the growing demand. -High Student Interest: Many students show a strong interest in environmental sustainability, but there is a notable lack of awareness regarding the wide range of green job opportunities available to them. -Comprehensive Green Guidance: Effective green guidance programs combine environmental literacy with career development, supporting students in exploring, understanding, and preparing for green careers. -Bridging Interests with Demand: Green career guidance plays a crucial role in aligning student interests in sustainability with the increasing demand for green jobs in the labor market. The growing focus on environmental sustainability has highlighted the need for education systems to evolve and support the emerging green economy. As green jobs expand, it is vital to ensure that students are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge. Effective green career guidance can bridge the gap between student interests in sustainability and the actual demands of the labor market. By integrating environmental literacy with career development, education systems can help students not only explore but also thrive in green careers, contributing to a sustainable future. Additional Insights: -The UN's Brookland report, from 20 years ago, defined sustainability in economic, labor market, climate, and social/cultural areas, impacting career guidance and education. -Effective environmental education programs in schools are crucial. Linking work experience with theoretical schooling and practical knowledge is prioritized. -Identifying and supporting passionate teachers within the community is essential for scaling up programs. -Successful sustainability programs require the combination of passionate individuals and senior leadership buy-in. -Government support and engaging the school community are key to successful sustainability initiatives. Special thanks to OECD - OCDE and Anthony Mann for moderating this enlightening session. Together, we can better equip young people for green careers and shape the future of career guidance and education. 🌍 🌲 💼 #GreenCareers #Sustainability #CareerGuidance #OECD #FutureOfWork

I have a newfound respect for teachers! 💚Yesterday, I volunteered at City Academy through Bristol WORKS to deliver workshops on Green Jobs and Careers to Year 9 students. It was a rewarding yet challenging experience that gave me fresh insights into the realities of classroom teaching. In just two 45-minute sessions, I aimed to help students: 💚Explore Green Jobs of the Future through an engaging quiz. 💚Discuss the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and consider which areas of sustainability interest them most. 💚Create posters advising a local café on how to be more sustainable, linked to their chosen SDG. What went well: ✅ The quiz captured their attention and got them thinking about potential career paths. ✅ Using SDG printouts sparked curiosity and meaningful discussions. ✅ The poster activity encouraged creativity and practical problem-solving. What didn’t go so well: Managing classroom behavior was a significant challenge, with many students disengaged or talking over others. Thankfully, a City Academy teacher was there to support the workshop, their presence was invaluable. I felt tired and croaky by the end, in awe of teachers who do this daily. 🌟This experience left me with even greater respect for teachers, who juggle teaching, managing behavior, and catering to vastly different abilities. It’s clear how much patience, care, and energy are required daily. 🙏I’m incredibly grateful to the Bristol WORKS team, particularly Leanne and Hayley for this opportunity, and for all they do to support some of the most disadvantaged students across Bristol. It was humbling to step out of my comfort zone and engage with such a diverse group of young people. 💯I am not under any illusions about what I achieved yesterday, but if at has at least made one student consider differently how they can make an impact through their future career, then it will have been worth the effort. ⭐I am particularly interested in how we can use our Catalyse Change CIC women's empowerment and sustainability training and mentoring to support more less advantaged young women into green careers, especially those traditionally dominated by men.⭐If anyone has ideas or advice on how we can do this, I’d love to hear from you!🙏 #Sustainability #GreenCareers #Greenskills #Education #Teachers #TeachingSustainability #RespectForTeachers #CatalyseChange #greeneducation #greenskills PS I have used an old image of one of our Catalyse Change CIC workshops, as we weren't allowed to take any in the school yesterday and I coudn't find any suitable free images of City Academy to use with this post.

The website and the linked-in page of the Green Circle project are now online ! Find more at : https://green-circle.eu/ Follow us on LinkedIn https://lnkd.in/eCcv6R9Q This initiative is set to revolutionize the construction sector by integrating micro-credentials to drive a green transition. Through this project, we aim to identify, develop, test, and assess innovative micro-credentialing systems, demonstrating their potential for widespread adoption and transferability to other sectors. Key Objectives of the Green Circle Project: 🔹 Social Transformation: Empowering individuals with the skills needed for sustainable practices, fostering a culture of continuous learning and environmental stewardship. 🔹 Technical Advancement: Developing cutting-edge micro-credentials tailored for the construction sector, ensuring that workers are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills to support green initiatives. 🔹 Educational Innovation: Enhancing education and training systems by integrating micro-credentials, making upskilling accessible and relevant across various economic sectors. Our ambition is to catalyze a broader transformation where micro-credentials become an accepted part of the employment landscape, addressing the evolving upskilling requirements in a rapidly changing world. By participating in the Green Circle project, we are committed to contributing to a sustainable future and improving education and training systems across industries. Stay tuned for updates on our journey with the Green Circle project and how it is shaping the future of sustainable practices in the construction sector and beyond! #GreenCircleProject #SustainableConstruction #MicroCredentials #Upskilling #EducationInnovation #GreenTransition

Thanks for sharing Dr. Fanta Aw NAFSA: Association of International Educators This is a topic we need to keep in the forefront of our field. Our ability to understand how critical international education can, and should be, to the advancement of the un sdgs will define us as a field. We need to stop doing business as usual, both on programs but also in our professional development. And we need to go beyond the easy actions (which are needed and a starting point) and use our critical abilities to look beyond sustainability and become a field that it’s actually doing good, not just not doing any harm. We have the opportunity to lead by example and really shape the next generation of leaders and professionals but we need to honestly believe in embedding the UN SDGs and have uncomfortable conversations, both internally and with our students. We also need to have the guts to review how we are currently operating and be critical and honest in our assessment, and ask ourselves if we are truly taking advantage of having students out of their comfort zone and making their study abroad a pivotal moment in their understanding of their current and future role in transforming our society towards a more sustainable one. I look forward to NAFSA: Association of International Educators leadership in making this a reality, alongside all the other associations and organizations committed to this The Forum on Education Abroad CANIE: Climate Action Network for International Educators Gap Year Association

Few weeks ago, I was invited by the North South Centre of the Council of Europe as panelist in their annual seminar “Linking #educationforsustainabledevelopment with #globalcitizenshipeducation to stimulate the individual and collective engagement of learners of all ages” I was lucky enough being the last speaker of the Seminar as I had the opportunity to connect different dots from the previous insights shared by other panelists, bringing some personal reflections, as shared below.   🌍Distinguishing between Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education in my opinion is quite anachronistic because it is widely understood that we cannot focus only to the environmental dimension of sustainable development to develop transformative learning approaches, while the concept of citizenship encompass also the social and economic dimensions of sustainability.   ⚖️There is still confusion about how to use the competence frameworks for #MEL purposes. For instance, the Global Education Guidelines (2019) proposes the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (#RFCDC ) to define the expected learning outcomes, identify the most suitable methods and draft the proper monitoring and evaluation tools of a training program against the competence’s descriptors. But still today several education practitioners and policy makers strive to harmonize this process affecting the ability to evaluate the impact of learning opportunities and to award concrete certifications to their participants.   🏣I shared my experience in applying #GCE methodological approach in delivering business trainings on “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” #DE&I and #ESG. The four aspects of #DEI refers to women, youth, migrants, and people with different abilities, that are the main target groups of the vast majority of CSOs in Europe and beyond working on sustainable development and the #UNAgenda2030. This means that CSOs applying global citizenship education methodological approach in their training programs, which imply inductive and participatory learning activities, can easily switch to business training programs for a quicker and better income. It seems that this perspective has been quite inspiring for the CSOs present in the seminar and hopefully the recommendation will be pushed forward at policy and training level by the leading institutions of the meeting.   🔗Another relevant aspect to take into consideration in these contexts, in my opinion, is the necessity to include in the debate not only the academia, but also the business sector. If there’s the need to mainstream learning at any age to #re-qualify and #reskill employees on a side, there is also the need to cope with the fast technological revolution in the formal education side.. and how do we expect to train new generations if we don’t equip schools and teachers with the right tools and competences?

The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings provide an invaluable framework for assessing the contribution of universities to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the global higher education sector increasingly aligns itself with the SDGs, UK universities face a unique opportunity and responsibility to demonstrate how their research, teaching, and community engagement are advancing societal and environmental sustainability. The first analysis of its kind, the white paper below examines UK participation and performance in the Impact Rankings and delves into how UK universities are performing. It aims to give tangible examples of best practise in areas across all 17 SDGs and identifies areas for improvement. By examining key metrics and mapping them against the SDGs, it also offers a comprehensive understanding of how universities can leverage these rankings to drive positive change both at a local and global level.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but instead, some inspiration for #jobseekers or #students of ESG-aligned roles that can help to achieve the UN #SDG's. Many of these job titles did not exist last decade, we wonder what new roles will be established as we get closer to 2030, and beyond! #ESG #Sustainability #SDG

Breaking Barriers and Opening Doors - How can Higher Education build inclusive and accessible pathways to green jobs? Universities have a critical role to play in equipping learners to address climate change and tackle societal issues. But how can they open doors to sustainability education and green careers for everyone, not just a select few? Join us for an insightful virtual event to mark Education Day at COP29, where we’ll shine a spotlight on the steps universities are taking to address the current lack of diversity in green jobs and accessible training and job opportunities for students. Hear from our inspiring panel of expert speakers on how to support learners into green careers, featuring real-life case studies from winners of the International Green Gown Awards delivered by EAUC in association with Allianz Global Investors. Topics will include: - Building impactful partnerships with industry - Developing green credentials relevant to the future workforce - Dismantling barriers to green jobs and diversifying sustainability careers - Embedding sustainability into academic curricula This event is free to attend and open to professionals in the Higher Education sector across the world who want to learn from a range of effective and innovative practice in this area. 18th November – 1030-1130 GMT Virtual Register to attend this event at https://lnkd.in/egX3KJMr

🌍 Think green jobs. As employment opportunities remain limited, it is important that we in South Africa – and the wider African continent – find innovative approaches to economic participation and career development. This University World News article explores Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), while we see promising opportunities for economic participation, especially with women in mind. By addressing critical skills gaps and forging strategic partnerships, South Africa can lead in creating meaningful career paths that contribute to inclusive economic growth. Which career and business opportunities do you see in this space? #GetWorking #EconomicParticipation #CareerDevelopment #EducationForSustainableDevelopment #WomenEconomicEmpowerment #SkillsDevelopment #FutureOfWork https://lnkd.in/dkYvxv5m

🌿 What will you learn at our Green Careers Week event?🌿We’re less than two weeks away from gathering at Triodos Foundation in Bristol for an inspiring and engaging day of networking and learning all about green skills and careers. So, what will you be learning on the day? 🌟 The Future of Green Skills & Careers Keynote speaker Susie Hewson, CEO of Natracare, will explore future trends in green skills, sustainable careers, and opportunities in the growing green economy—drawing from her own inspiring journey of creating and running a successful, purpose-led, ethical business. 💼 Employer Engagement  Emily Bailey from SBY will share creative and less traditional ways for green employers to engage young people in your work—without the heavy lifting! 🌍 The Green Skills Gap   Dr Karen Cripps from Oxford Brookes Business School will explore how soft skills are now just as crucial as technical ones for success in green industries. 🛠️ What Young People Need   Megan Stillwell and Lois John will highlight the barriers young people face when entering green careers and ways to overcome them through real-life examples. 🌱 How to Get into a Green Career   Rhian Sherrington FRSA, Founder / Head Coach Sherrington FRSA, Founder and head Coach of Women in Sustainability Network, will guide you through the key steps to shaping your sustainable career. 🗓️ Join us on November 6th at Triodos Bank Foundation in #Bristol to help shape the future of green careers! Hear from young people, businesses, and education leaders, and dive into essential topics like green skills, employer needs, and building your career path. 👉 Secure your spot here: https://bit.ly/GCWNov6th #GreenCareers #Sustainability #GreenSkills #Networking #FutureOfWork #YoungChangemakers #GreenJobs #Bristol