Preparing graduates for the workforce means embedding sustainability in education

These summary insights are from the roundtable on the theme: Bridging the gap between higher education and the future of sustainable work. The provocateur for this roundtable was James Viray, Global Head of Corporate Sustainability, GHD. 

It's time to reshape how young people view sustainability

Many graduates enter the workforce with a narrow, even inaccurate understanding of how sustainability does or doesn’t apply to their role – thinking, for example, that if they aren’t in the CSR team, or haven’t studied environmental engineering, they can’t work on sustainability issues. 

Meanwhile, corporates need every person within the organisation to adopt a sustainability lens and feel empowered to take action, especially as the gap between the supply and demand for green talent is projected to balloon to 101.5% by 2050. 

So, how can educators foster that all-important sustainability mindset amongst students? It starts by integrating sustainability across the curriculum, rather than siloing it as a standalone elective, encouraging all students to consider how sustainability challenges intersect with their areas of interest. 

Faculty need to come on the journey

A lasting shift in sustainability education requires faculty across disciplines to be trained and prepared to teach with a sustainability lens. Without faculty buy-in, any efforts to embed sustainability will be surface-level and short-lived. This transformation can’t happen overnight, though – it will take a fundamental shift in academic culture. 

Teaching sustainability requires a departure from traditional methods, embracing experiential learning over theoretical exercises. Universities must also move beyond just teaching sustainability and lead by example, demonstrating sustainable practices in their own operations. And, as attendees pointed out, faculty incentives must evolve to support this shift. 

"Without faculty buy-in, any efforts to embed sustainability will be surface-level and short-lived."

Sustainability skills go beyond the technical 

It is easy to fall into the trap of hearing “sustainability skills” and thinking of technical knowledge. But a sustainability mindset goes beyond carbon footprints and environmental impact assessments. So-called “soft skills” like communication and systems thinking are critically important. 

Attendees from industry pointed out that sustainability in the workplace is often a game of persuasion, such as convincing the C-Suite that you don’t have to adopt an either/or approach when it comes to sustainability and financial performance. Graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset and strong people skills will therefore have an advantage when it comes to making an impact at work. And for companies, creating an environment where people across the business aren’t siloed into specific functions but are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work means a better spread of ideas and perspectives, and more innovation at a faster pace.

How do we change mindsets? By bringing students into the real world.

Changing mindsets means getting out of the traditional classroom environment and exposing students to real-world challenges, impacting real communities. Experiential learning programs like those offered by How to Change the World bring students together from across disciplines to tackle complex sustainability problems supported by experienced professionals, echoing the environment they’ll experience once they join the workforce. Working directly with stakeholders also helps students to understand the unintended consequences of their work, making theoretical discussions around ethics more tangible.

Attendees also spoke to the benefits of close partnerships between higher education and business schools; some businesses have even relocated onto campuses, giving students direct access to the ecosystem they will shortly be working in and providing companies with a strong pipeline of emerging talent.

Thank you to our roundtable partners: the Global Business School Network, Times Higher Education, International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure, ABET, Lenovo 360, and Instructure. 

Thank you also to everyone who attended this roundtable. We look forward to continuing the conversation as we work to create educational models and opportunities that better prepare students for a changing world.