“Green skills are no longer seen as technical skills for a few specialised sectors. They are increasingly understood as a combination of technical skills and transversal capabilities.” Prof. Sarojni Choy, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Griffith University, Australia.
As countries accelerate their transition towards sustainable and resilient economies, green skills are becoming central to education, workforce development, and lifelong learning. Preparing learners for this transition requires more than technical expertise; it calls for new approaches to curriculum, teaching, industry collaboration, research, and capacity building.
In this conversation, Dr. Madhuri Dubey, Founder-Director, National Skills Network-NSN), speaks with Prof. Sarojni Choy, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Griffith University, Australia, about the evolving role of green skills in TVET and higher education. Drawing on her international research and experience, Prof. Choy shares perspectives on curriculum transformation, educator competencies, global collaboration, research capacity building, and the lessons India can adapt for building a future-ready skills ecosystem.
Below are a few excerpts from our conversation. You can watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
Q. Could you please explain how green skills are transforming TVET and higher education?Â
A. Green skills are no longer viewed as technical skills limited to sectors such as renewable energy, e-mobility, waste management, or green construction.
Sustainability cuts across environmental, economic, social, and technological systems. As a result, education institutions are embedding green skills into curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, research, industry partnerships, community engagement, and campus operations. In TVET and higher education, this shift is enabling institutions to prepare future-ready graduates while also driving innovation, applied research, and more sustainable ways of working.
Q. What are the key challenges in implementing green skills across education?
A. While green skills frameworks are gaining prominence at the policy level, their successful implementation remains a significant challenge.
Institutions must move beyond policy intent to determine:
- What green skills should be taught
- How they should be assessed
- Which sectors should be prioritized
- How curricula can keep pace with evolving technologies, regulations, and labour market needs
Several practical barriers continue to hinder implementation, including:
- Limited capacity among educators and trainers
- Inadequate infrastructure, equipment, and learning resources
- Overcrowded curriculum
- Weak labour market intelligence
- Limited research to inform curriculum development
Another key challenge is that curriculum often respond to change rather than anticipate it. Institutions need more agile curriculum design and approval processes that prepare learners for emerging workforce needs instead of reacting to them.
Green skills should also not be viewed as a curriculum issue alone. As highlighted in UNESCO’s guidance, green industry requires a whole-of-institution approach that encompasses leadership, strategic planning, resource allocation, stakeholder engagement, campus practices, and continuous monitoring.
Ultimately, the challenge lies in building implementation capacity, not just developing ambitious policies. Since these issues are common across countries, international collaboration and shared learning can play a crucial role in accelerating progress.
Q. What skills and competencies will future educators and the workforce need?Â
A. Educators and trainers will need a much broader capability set than they currently have. Along with updating their technical knowledge in areas such as clean energy, circular production, and sustainable technologies, they must also develop the skills to teach:
- Adaptability
- Innovation
- Ethical decision-making
- Systems thinking
- Problem-solving
- Environmental responsibility
- Digital and green literacy
From a teaching perspective, this calls for more learner-centred, interdisciplinary, and work-based approaches that help learners connect theory with real sustainability challenges.
Strong partnerships with industry are equally important. Educators and trainers need to work closely with industry to keep pace with technological advancements and evolving workforce requirements.
For the broader TVET workforce, the focus is not only on mastering new technologies but also on reducing waste, improving efficiency, increasing productivity, responding to new standards, and, most importantly, committing to continuous upskilling over time.
Q. What global best practices can India adapt for TVET and higher education?
A. India can draw on the strengths of different approaches and adapt them to the local context by aligning policy, qualifications, industry standards, and local delivery.
Building a strong ecosystem starts with investing in teachers and trainers, as no curriculum reform can succeed without capable educators. Green skills must also be connected to real employment pathways through apprenticeships, micro-credentials, recognition frameworks..
Finally, green skills should be treated as a whole-of-ecosystem effort, supported by leadership, partnerships, and flexible delivery. India has the capacity to innovate and develop its own models that can also inspire other countries.
Q. What opportunities do you see for global collaboration in green skills and TVET?Â
A. There is enormous scope for international collaboration in areas such as:
- Comparative research
- Curriculum innovation
- Educator development
- Skills anticipation and
- Green enterprise development
One of the biggest advantages of collaboration is that countries do not have to start from scratch. They can learn from successful practices in areas such as green qualifications, circular economy skills, inclusive workforce pathways, and the combined green and digital transition. Several Asian countries offer valuable examples, particularly where the context is similar to India.
Collaboration also helps build stronger evidence on emerging skills, inclusion, and how institutions can respond more quickly to changing workforce needs. It is equally important for teachers and trainers to develop research skills so they can investigate their own practice and contribute to continuous improvement.
For India, partnerships with universities, international networks, development and funding agencies, industry, and communities can accelerate innovation and capacity building while adapting solutions to local contexts.
Q. Could you please share some recent initiatives in upskilling and capacity building?Â
A. Recently, I delivered a workshop on Critical Participatory Action Research for practitioners in Hong Kong. The program, which can be offered as a micro-credential, equips educators and trainers with the skills to conduct their own research and improve their professional practice.
Participants worked as part of a community, focusing on real challenges within their own institutions. They identified issues, conducted research, shared their findings, and learned from one another, creating a strong community of practice.
I believe this is a practical model for research capacity building. Not everyone needs to pursue a master’s degree in research. Short, micro-credential-based programs that enable educators to investigate and solve local challenges can be highly effective in strengthening professional practice.
Also read: Empowering India’s Future Workforce with Green Skills and Technology
Q. Is there anything else you would like to say for our audience?
A. Green skills should not be seen only as an environmental issue. They are equally an economic, social, and educational priority. The transition will succeed only if it is inclusive, creates decent work, widens participation, and supports lifelong learning.
Education should go beyond responding to labour market needs and help shape a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future. Greening must become part of everyday institutional practice, not remain limited to policy documents.
To strengthen green skills, it is important to:
- Build sustained partnerships with industry and communities
- Support continuous upskilling and reskilling
- Integrate AI literacy and green capabilities into education
- Recognise the value of traditional and Indigenous knowledge alongside scientific knowledge
Ultimately, green skills development must be socially grounded, context-responsive, and become everybody’s everyday business.
