We’re proud to share that we’ve raised a £600k pre-seed round of funding to help us to build the net-zero workforce.
The green industrial revolution is a huge opportunity to get millions of people into jobs that are well-paid, future-ready and have a huge community impact - and we’re grateful to have the support of investors who share our conviction in that.
You can read the details of the fundraise elsewhere.
Here, we wanted to focus on the most important part of this story: the people at the heart of our green economy.
Jobs, communities and climate
We believe that people are key to the world’s climate crisis response.
So, greenworkx exists to supercharge the human side of the green economy.
Our work is focused on getting people into good, green jobs - giving them financial security through future-ready skills, which they can use to serve their communities with pride and purpose.
What does that mean? We’ll try to explain based on the work which we’ve been doing so far this year.
Retrofit: fixing the UK’s leaky homes
In February, we started putting learners through our first full-time training opportunity: an introductory course about retrofit, the work done to fix Britain’s leaky energy-inefficient homes.
When we make homes more energy efficient, we’re helping families to:
- save money on their bills;
- live in greater warmth and comfort; and
- reduce their carbon emissions!
We’re really excited by retrofit and other green jobs for their huge triple impact: social, economic and environmental.
This is something better summed up by some of our learners, who’ve happily agreed for us to share their stories to help encourage others to take the same paths as them.
Meet Juneann and Shabana
From nursing to net-zero: Juneann’s story
Juneann, 59, is a retired nurse from Peckham who is transitioning to a career in retrofit.
She sees retrofit as an important part of improving people’s lives. “Lockdown really brought home to me the effect that the buildings that people live in have on their health physically and mentally,” she told us.
After 30 years as a nurse, Juneann is now looking to work in retrofit as a way to improve the lives of people in her community.
After taking her first steps with a Net Zero Bootcamp with London South Bank University, Juneann has been continuing her path with greenworkx, and recently completed her Level 2 Award in Understanding Domestic Retrofit.
“This is a way for me to expand my career but stay in community work,” she told us.
She’s an inspiring role model for us and the whole of our community - thank you, Juneann! 💚
From cutting hair to cutting carbon emissions: Shabana’s story
Shabana, 18, is based in Birmingham and has been trying to make her first steps in her career.
It hasn’t been easy for her. “I’ve lost count of how many things I’ve applied for. Probably 20-30.”
Constantly, she’s been written off by people not willing to give her a chance. “If you haven’t got experience, or your grades are bad, they don’t want to hire you.”
It’s a tough, pressured environment, with a busy home life - her dad works hard as a taxi driver to try to support Shabana and her eight siblings, and she’s keen to make her contribution as well.
After spending some time in hairdressing, Shabana - who considers herself a very active and sporty person - has been looking for work where she can be more mobile.
So, at greenworkx, we’ve been supporting Shabana to pursue a career in retrofit installation, and we’re thrilled to be able to share that she has also now completed her Level 2 Award in Understanding Domestic Retrofit course.
Congratulations, Shabana! 🎉
From our first 30 stories to the next 300
Shabana (18) and Juneann (59) are at very different stages of their career - and there’s been much more diversity besides that in the 28 other stories that we’ve been entrusted with so far this year.
Together, the diversity of these stories captures an important truth of net-zero and green jobs. Green jobs are open to all of us - and green jobs need all of us.
There’s a triple impact in these green jobs:
- Economic impact through increasing access to good employment. There are 30-60 million more people needed for green jobs globally by 2030 to deliver net-zero - a brilliant opportunity to learn future-ready skills and earn a fair wage for Shabana and others.
- Social impact through strengthening communities. Our relationship to our natural and built environment affects our mental and physical health - a brilliant opportunity for purpose-driven employment and service for Juneann and others.
- Environmental impact through directly reducing carbon emissions. Every single one of these jobs is one that makes a tangible difference in the global efforts to combat climate breakdown.
It’s been a privilege for us to meet and support Shabana, Juneann, and the 28 other individuals who have been part of our introductory retrofit training course.
Getting them into green jobs that are well-paid, future-ready and with huge community impact is what drives us - and, with our pre-seed round, we’ll be able to spread the green jobs opportunity even wider.
So, if you, or anyone you know, might be interested in a better job for a better planet - whether you’re at the start of your career or making a change, we’d love to talk to you.