The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on employment and the economy. Whilst challenging, the situation provides an opportunity to build back differently and seek to improve long-standing challenges in Wales.

A ‘green and just recovery’ would aim to deliver good quality livelihoods whilst supporting rapid decarbonisation and improving biodiversity in Wales. This relies on having the right skills and training in place.

The main findings of the report include:

• Over 60,000 jobs could be created in the green economy by 2022 with infrastructure investment.
• However, the current skills pipeline is not prepared for this demand with our analysis suggesting low apprenticeship and training numbers in key sectors compared to potential job growth.
• There is a mismatch between levels of existing employment and potential; the level of job creation is significant compared to existing numbers.
• Funding to deal with this shortfall is insufficient to cope with demand and scale.
• Targeted and sustained action is needed to ensure green growth industries provide entry for Black, Asian and minority ethnic people; women; disabled people and those furthest from the labour market.

Skills could be grown and livelihoods created in industries that provide economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being. This visual shows the potential within industries for significant job growth and the current mismatch between numbers of people able to fulfil these roles.

Read the summary version of our analysis here and the full analysis here.