Developing appropriate skills in view of climate change

By Clive Mutame Siachiyako

Climate change is exerting pressure on different sectors. Right skills are required to adapt to climate variations. Transition to pro-environmental practices can be fostered by developing skills, knowledge and competences for green construction, manufacturing, and renewable energy generation and resource-efficient processes that can be integrated in businesses and communities.  

The TEVET sector is among key sectors in developing skills that foster green economic practices. To develop green skills in Zambia, TEVETA and International Labour Organisation have been working with different stakeholders to develop skills for green jobs in construction, energy and rainy water harvesting. The collaborative work has been anchored on the Zambia Green Jobs Programme (ZGJP). The programme supports the creation of green jobs among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in construction and contribution to inclusive green job creation.

Green jobs are types of jobs that contribute to the preservation or restoration of the environment. They include jobs in manufacturing, construction and emerging green sectors such as renewable energy. The green jobs improve energy and raw materials efficiency, limit greenhouse gas emissions, minimise waste and pollution, protect and restore ecosystems, and support adaptation to the effects of climate change.

TEVETA has since developed curricula for different programmes under the Zambia Green Jobs Programme. Rain Water Harvesting is one of the programmes. Rainwater harvesting is a system of capturing rainwater for domestic, agricultural or industrial purposes. Harvesting rainy water is becoming a global trend due to depleting global water table. But in Zambia, there was skills gaps in harvesting water despite water table depletion. Thus, there was need to develop a qualification that met this gap. 

Furthermore, as the country shifts towards sustainable and green construction, there is need for the application of technology that preserve the environment and continually empower citizens. Rain Water Harvesting presents a number benefits to the environment and to the economy. Some environmental benefits include the prevention of water wastage through the collection of runoff; prevention of soil erosion; safeguarding and sustaining existing water table; increasing water viability; and ultimately addressing the impact of climate change. The Rain Water Harvesting programme leads to the production of skills in Rainwater Harvesting System Installation.

The other programme that seeks to produce green skills is Solar System Technology. In line with the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), Zambia remains committed to the socio-economic development of the country including alternative energy provision. Demand for electricity in the country is high but hydro power generation cannot meet the demand resulting into power rationing. The situation has been exacerbated by effects of climate change on the availability of water since Zambia is highly dependent on hydro-power. The current projections indicate that growth in demand for power will increase from 150 MW to 200 MW per annum. The peak demand for electricity in the country is projected at 3,000 MW by 2020. It is envisaged that other sources of energy which included solar would grow to about 15 percent by 2030. To increase supply, there was need for additional investment in energy mix particularly solar energy which is quite abundant. 

However, the investment in solar technology can adequately be realised if there is availability of skilled workers with different levels of education.  It is against this background that TEVETA developed green skills programme in Solar Technology. The solar technology programme seeks to enhance quality training in the energy industry. The programme aims to equip the trainees with knowledge, skills and appropriate attitudes required to carry out installation works in solar technology applications.

Sustainable Building Works Supervision is the other green skills programme TEVETA developed. Building construction today is a substantial part of industrial culture, which can produce a widely varied built environment to serve the diverse needs of society. The construction sector greatly contributes to the Gross Domestic Product GDP) stimulated by demand from the mining sector, residential and commercial buildings. 

Although Zambia has trained a number of building works supervisors, they have not been grounded in sustainable construction practices. In line with the above, the Building Works Supervision Programme was reviewed to highlight the relationship between sustainable buildings, climate change, sustainable development and resource efficiency. Sustainable buildings or green buildings provide an opportunity to use resources efficiently while creating healthier buildings. Furthermore, the developed Sustainable Consumption and Production Programme and Sustainable Housing Guideline identifies sustainable buildings and construction as a priority area and promote a resource efficient approach.

This programme also promotes the creation of green jobs and decent work in the construction sector. The built environment comes with great impact on the environment, human health and the economy. By greening the construction sector we can transform this impact and enjoy an array of socio-economic benefits. In fact, going green makes good business sense and offers excellent opportunities for inclusive green growth, especially for local MSMEs.

Collaboration towards developing green skills to mitigate climate change effects in Zambia

By Clive Mutame Siachiyako

Actors in Zambia are working together to develop green curricula under the Zambia Green Jobs Programme (ZGJP) in view of pressures exerted by climate change on different sectors was highlighted. Many avenues have been pursued, but herein focus is on multi-stakeholder approaches being pursued to enhance green skills development to meet broad-based development in the country. Broadly, target areas include skills development in green building, clean transportation, water management, waste management, renewable energy and land management.

Government is working on medium and long term strategies to address climate change realities the country is experiencing. One of the approaches is to achieve green growth and development, which is about the use of natural resources sustainably. It is envisioned that green growth will lead to job creation in green industries (such as recycling) and shifting of some jobs as industries get greened (from fossil fuel to renewable energy). In the process, some jobs will be redefined as skills, production methods and job profiles are greened.  

Stakeholders from the academia, nongovernment organisations, government ministries and government agencies are mapping-out strategies to develop green skills, competences and awareness on climate change. The aim is to devise multi-sectoral green skills development strategies that meet changes in occupational standards in relation to green economic requirements. Upskilling, developing of new skills, identifying, aligning policies and greening curricula are the other focus areas.

Aligning policies, curricula and climate change strategies will help the country set common goals in mitigating impacts of climate change. Currently, green jobs and skills development has been limited to few sectors such as construction, energy and water management leaving out several sectors. The aim now is to come up long term approaches in greening economy whilst taking care of decent jobs, economic diversification, environmental protection, efficient natural resources usage and green skills development from secondary, trades training to university education.

The creation of value chain linkages among sectors is among the goals of the collaborative efforts in meeting green economic needs. Enterprises needs both human capital with green skills to produce and supply green goods and services and consumers that are pro-environmental minded in their lifestyles to consume the products. Training institutions need to revise and design training programmes that green the economy to make Zambian enterprises in construction, renewable energy, agriculture, and other sectors are some envisaged achievements by the multi-sectoral green economy efforts in the country.

The stakeholders recommended that greening the economy through TEVET was key in terms of developing green skills curricula and design green training systems. Stakeholders believe the TEVET sector can empower individuals to promote decent work and lifelong learning as the sector imparts hands-on and entrepreneurial skills and competencies for productivity, efficiency raw material usage and quality goods and services provision.

To promote the green economy, stakeholders’ consensus was that TEVET curricula should integrate principles of environmental sustainability to foster environmental responsibility for the realization of sustainable consumption and production patterns. Thus, skills and competencies for green occupations should be developed in TEVET at artisan, technician and technologist levels. Further, stakeholder felt TEVET should be thus positioned where it effectively contribute to the development of innovations and technological solutions needed to address climate change and to preserve environmental integrity.

The other recommendation was that TEVET’s role at individual, sectoral and national levels need to be refined in a manner that it promotes inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The role of TEVET in promoting green growth and development is emphasized in Chapter 36 of Agenda 21: “Promoting Education, Public Awareness and Training.” The TEVET has a dual function in this sense. Firstly, it has a job-specific focus to fill gaps in knowledge and skills that help individuals create (through entrepreneurial undertakings) and find employment in the green economy. The second function is to promote competences that are required for the green economy.

TEVET is about developing persons with hands-on skills the industry should readily use competitively to remain viable. That is what differentiates it from theoretical training. It deficiencies from the TEVET sector have long term development implications. For example, poorly trained electrical technician risks having a power station burning or solar energy system fail to function compared to theoretical inclined persons who hypothesis can have lesser effects.

The stakeholders agreed that education in general, and TEVET in particular is key in the transition to green economy and society because its links to the labour market (in curriculum development, practical test project development and assessment of practical competences, among others), thus help in ensuring that occupations become more sustainable. For example, technicians from the sector can be imparted with hands-on skills required to use of recycled raw materials or environmental friendly materials in the construction sector. The TEVET sector can also promote smooth transition towards renewable energy and sustainable forms of energy utilising artisanal skills acquired through industry stimulated learning systems.

Generally different actors are working on cross-cutting green skills development plan for education and training systems that ensure leaners acquire skills and competences needed for the green economy are developed. Therefore, education and TEVET sectors, labour market, business associations and other players’ coordination should be enhanced to ensure timely articulation and integration of green competences and concepts in occupation standards, curriculum development and learning systems to adapt to current and future career needs in the advent of climate change pressures.