Green Skills for A Green Future: The Rise of the Green Collar Workforce

A recent report released by the Deloitte Economics Institute (entitled “Work Towards Net Zero in Asia Pacific -- The Rise of the Green Collar Workforce in a Just Transition”) highlights the potential rise of a new Green Collar workforce in the Asia Pacific region, estimating that 80% of skills needed for energy transition efforts in the short-to-medium term already exist in today’s workforce.

However, 40% of workers in Asia-Pacific, including economies like Malaysia, are currently employed in vulnerable industries such as agriculture, conventional energy, manufacturing, transportation, and construction. that are under threat from climate change and the transition to net zero.

Encouragingly, the Malaysian government has taken steps to support the development of the emerging Green Collar workforce through Phase 1 of the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR). The NETR represents Malaysia’s efforts to future-proof its vulnerable sectors by accelerating the shift from a traditional fossil fuel-based economy to a high-value green economy.

Through the NETR, 10 flagship catalyst projects and initiatives are expected to generate a total of 23,000 new high-impact, high-quality job opportunities. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recognises Malaysia's significant policy support for green job development, positioning the country strongly in the region.

Today, we speak with Kasturi Nathan, Governance, Regulatory and Sustainability Services Leader, Deloitte Malaysia on the potential for significant job creation in industries focused on environmental sustainability, the challenges and opportunities this transition presents, and how governments can lead the way in tackling the climate crisis and equitable employment outcomes.