Ep. 07 4 Million Jobs: The Hidden Workforce Behind Net Zero
What if the biggest story of the net zero transition isn’t technology, policy or investment, but jobs?
Jobs that disappear, jobs that transform, and millions of jobs that don’t exist yet.
In this episode, Fiona sits down with Julian Critchlow, advisory partner at Bain & Company, former Director General for Energy Transformation & Clean Growth in UK government, and one of the architects of the UK’s Net Zero Strategy.
Julian’s work at Bain on green skills reveals something most people haven’t yet grasped: the transition to a clean economy is going to reshape around 4 million jobs across the UK. That includes roughly 1 million entirely new roles, and 3 million people who will need significant reskilling as industries electrify, retool and reinvent themselves.
This conversation connects the dots between climate ambition, industrial strategy and the real human workforce behind the transition.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why the UK is one of the most fossil-fuel-exposed economies in the world
The surprising sectors where green jobs will appear — including finance, transport, construction and home energy
How electrification will transform everything from car servicing to grid engineering
Why the biggest blockers to net zero may not be technology — but skills, training and workforce capacity
What past transitions (like the decline of coal) teach us about avoiding social and regional disruption
How employers can prepare for a future where their entire workforce requires new capabilities
Why retraining at scale will demand corporate-led learning, not just universities and colleges
Whether you're an employer, policymaker, student, or someone thinking about your next career move, this is one of the clearest explanations of the real workforce implications of net zero you’ll hear.
Resources & Links:
Bain & Company – Green Skills Report