Green push ‘will change jobs rather than destroy’
THE main impact of the drive to green the UK’s economy will be to change existing jobs rather than to destroy them, a report has said.
The biggest challenge will be to make sure low and mid-skilled workers are able to keep up as most of the new jobs created will require high skill levels.
The report, from the Resolution Foundation and the London School of Economics, distinguished between green jobs and brown jobs. It found there are 1.3 million brown job workers in the UK and they are more exposed to the impacts of transition than others.
They include lorry drivers and energy plant operatives who will need to learn to drive different kinds of vehicles and produce different types of power.
The report found green job workers were more than three times as likely to be in higherqualified professional jobs than their brown job counterparts. It said 83% of green jobs are highly qualified, compared to just 26% of brown jobs.
“The UK’s net zero transition has begun to affect the labour market, but more rapid change is expected this decade given enhanced commitments in policy and business strategies,” Kathleen Henehan, senior research and policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation said. This has led some to warn decarbonisation could be as damaging as deindustrialisation in terms of job destruction.
“Some transitions into new jobs will be required but the reality is most workers will feel the net zero transition through changes to the jobs they already do, rather than redundancies and completely new types of work,” she said.
There is also a diversity challenge. More than 14% of white working-age adults are in a green job compared to 8% of black working-age adults.
Policymakers should focus on helping brown job workers adapt or the revolution will mainly help already high-skilled and higher paid workers, the authors said.
“Securing a ‘green job’ is likely to lead to higher wages, but entry into those jobs is dominated by those with higher skills,” Ms Henehan said. “Rather than focusing on misplaced forecasts of huge job losses, policy-makers should prioritise supporting workers to adapt to new technologies and tasks, either in their current jobs, or by moving to ‘green’ jobs through an expansion of skills and training.”
A JEWELLERY business set up by a Derbyshire husband-and-wife when the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak are providing the gifts for celebrities including Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran at a huge concert in London.
Letterbox Love was initially a side hustle set up by Kerry Bilson when she was working from home during the first UK lockdown.
The former Virgin Atlantic cabin crew found that channelling her talent for writing poems and combining them with cute, affordable bracelets as gifts was a welcome creative release from day-to-day life and the business grew quickly with orders from around the globe.
And stars such as Mabel, David Guetta and dance diva Becky Hill – plus chart-topping solo artists Ed Sheeran and Harry Styles, fresh from their sell-out shows – received a gift bag ahead of their performance at the Capital Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium that included a bracelet created by Letterbox Love.
“It’s quite something thinking that a mega star like Harry Styles could be wearing one of our bracelets,” said Kerry. “He’s a real style icon – he’s been on the front cover of Vogue magazine.”
Letterbox Love was asked to cater for 40 celebrities and, with June being Pride month around the world, Kerry thought that the Letterbox Love bracelets created to celebrate individuality would be perfect.
She said: “Each bracelet is adorned with a beautiful cubic zircona stoneencrusted rainbow centerpiece on a red chain. It is attached to a card that reads ‘Let your colours shine on through, a time to celebrate all of you’ and has been a big seller for us this month.”
Letterbox Love have also been busy creating charity bracelets for national card and gift company Cardzone, which has ordered thousands of the Stand With Ukraine bracelets. £1 from the sale of each sunflower bracelet is donated to the British Red Cross’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
Kerry said: “We are delighted that, as well as having Letterbox Love products stocked globally – stores in Europe, the USA and Canada as well as here in the UK sell Letterbox Love products – our gifts will also be available to buy in 60 Cardzone stores, including their Paper Kisses and Hallmark shops.
“Cardzone have been incredibly supportive of our business since we first signed a deal with them and Kim Baker, their product and merchandising manager, has helped a great deal.
“The Stand With Ukraine bracelet, which is also available on our website and via our Etsy shop, is our way of giving back to a well-respected charity that is doing an incredible job at what is a very difficult time.”
Prices for Letterbox Love products start from £8 for bracelets including their ‘teacher’, ‘good luck’ and ‘flower girl’ keepsakes, which are wrapped around a card with a poem written by Kerry, and wrapped in recyclable tissue paper.
Letterbox Love offer free UK shipping and gift wrapping, plus 15% off when you purchase two or more items.
To find out more, visit www. letterbox-love.co.uk or connect on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. words to describe what an amazing occasion this was. The response the JCB machines received from the crowds, who were at least 10 deep along most of the route, was simply incredible. They were waving and cheering us as we drove the machines down The Mall, and it was a very emotional experience. We are all very proud to have taken part in such a fantastic tribute to The Queen.”
At the end of the pageant the team was ushered to the gates of Buckingham Palace to witness the culmination of the event – a balcony appearance by the Queen and members of the royal family.