Green Careers Week with Leeds Arts University & SAIL
Posted News
Green Careers Week is all about highlighting opportunities for young people to pursue careers that make a real difference. A Green Career isn’t limited to the traditional environmental fields, it can be any role, in any industry, that actively contributes to preserving or restoring the environment. From finance to fashion, engineering to entertainment, green careers are broad and varied. The essential commonality? Each position is contributing to the health of our planet.
What is a Green Career?
A green career is any job, role, or occupation focused on preserving our environment or addressing climate change. This broad definition means that anyone with the right skills, knowledge, and values can have an impact, regardless of industry. Core green skills include technical abilities as well as attributes and knowledge that help organisations adapt their services and practices to support climate action. These skills range from understanding waste reduction practices to designing energy-efficient products, developing sustainable sourcing methods, or even rethinking supply chains and transportation for a reduced carbon footprint.
SAIL’s Role in Green Careers Week
SAIL was invited by Leeds Arts University to speak on green skills in the creative and cultural sector, helping raise awareness of sustainability focused career paths for students. The focus of the session was to spark interest and provide practical resources for students to continue their learning and find their place in the environmental movement within the arts.
As part of our session, Pip Tuffin hosted ‘Become a More Sustainable Creative’ workshop during a ‘Lunch and Learn’ event for students on Thursday, 7th November, from 12-1 pm. This session explored the needs of the creative sector when it comes to sustainability, showcased inspiring examples of creative organisations leading the way, and gave advice on waste management, sustainable material sourcing, exhibition planning, energy use, transportation, and climate education in the arts.
During this session, Pip shared her own experiences as a recent graduate navigating sustainability within the creative field. Reflecting on her final year at university, she discussed how her dissertation and artwork explored sustainability, as well as how the skills and knowledge she gained helped shape her current role at SAIL. It was an opportunity to show students how their academic experiences can directly support their careers in green-focused roles.
To further support students’ green career ambitions, SAIL collaborated with Leeds Arts University to gather resources for the Universities Careers Portal. These insights include contributions from organisations such as Northern Ballet and Tutti Frutti, who shared their top tips for getting in the industry, what their biggest green challenge is an an organisation, and what skills they are looking for in students. Connecting students with industry insights on sustainability has helped equipped them with a clear understanding of the real world challenges and opportunities in green careers. By bridging the gap between education and industry, this collaboration supports students to make informed career choices and develop skills that are essential for a more sustainable future.