The research mapped green skills training and education available across Oxfordshire and gathered insights from employers, education providers and community organisations. It found that Oxfordshire has a strong foundation in areas such as clean energy, retrofit and green construction, reflecting growing demand for skills that support net zero ambitions.
However, the report also identified significant gaps. Training provision is heavily concentrated in a small number of sectors, with comparatively limited opportunities in areas such as nature recovery, biodiversity and sustainable land management. Researchers also highlighted a shortage of courses supporting Level 4 and 5 technical roles, including retrofit coordinators, assessors and advisers, despite these occupations playing a critical role in delivering low-carbon projects.
The findings suggest that the challenge is not simply a lack of training provision. Stakeholders pointed to a wider disconnect between education, employer demand, regulation and career pathways, making it harder for people to move into green jobs and for employers to access the skills they need.
Accessibility remains a key concern. Factors such as transport, cost of living, digital exclusion, limited awareness of opportunities and reliance on unpaid work experience continue to create barriers for some young people and those furthest from the labour market.
The report concludes that developing a greener economy will require stronger coordination across the skills system, increased employer capacity to create and absorb green jobs, and clearer pathways from education into sustainable employment.
Its recommendations focus on strengthening countywide collaboration, increasing demand for green skills across sectors, and building a more diverse and inclusive talent pipeline from school through to employment.
The research was undertaken through the Local Policy Lab, a partnership between the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and Oxfordshire County Council that supports evidence-informed policymaking to address social and economic challenges across Oxfordshire.
Read a summary report (presented to the OIEP steering group)
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