GOOD JOBS
Economy is
green for go
John Blackmore in Acton Market
“ Tapping into the green economy is not only good for the environment , but good for creating local jobs ,” said Dr John Blackmore who heads up the organisation that runs Acton Market , which is aiming to undergo a green transformation .
Along with Creating Good Jobs , one of the council ’ s three key priorities is Tackling Climate Action . And the two are , in many ways , closely linked .
There are a couple of ongoing projects in the borough which provide examples of the potential for green industries to boost our local job market by increasing demand for locally sourced skills . The Energiesprong retrofitting of council homes to make them greener and more energy efficient
Drivers for recycling trucks
( see aroundealing . com / news / retrofit ) is only the start of a programme that could last years and eventually take in thousands of homes . Meanwhile , the council is continuing to add charging points for electric vehicles across the borough ( see aroundealing . com / news / electric-vehicle-charging ) with 300 expected by the end of 2021 . This is not exclusive to Ealing and companies involved will have to recruit staff to keep pace with the growing demand across London and the country as a whole .
The council ’ s employment , learning and skills team has been helping to train unemployed residents to become HGV drivers and have the opportunity to secure well-paid employment with the council ’ s recycling contractor , Greener Ealing Ltd . The scheme has been a big success with more than 50 people signing up to take part . Similar training and employment programmes are coming up in future – keep an eye on workealing . com
Indeed , green jobs could be all around us soon – because so much of the future will depend on it .
The West London Alliance ( WLA ) is a strategic partnership of seven west London councils – in the boroughs of Barnet , Brent , Ealing , Hammersmith & Fulham , Harrow , Hillingdon and Hounslow . It is putting together a plan for developing green skills and jobs in the region .
It is early days , but the council is already working with local organisations to help residents to take advantage of emerging opportunities .
ACTON MARKET SETS OUT ITS STALL Upcycling , repairs and other ‘ green ’ activities could become the heart of Acton Market after the council helped with a bid for National Lottery funding to carry out the project .
16 around ealing Winter 2021