In the current era of global challenges, two fundamental changes are underway – the digital and green transformations, also known as "double transformation"These transformations have the potential to profoundly impact industrial ecosystems and social inequalities. While digital technologies are driving the fourth industrial revolution, investments in environmental technologies and products are key to the transition to a low-carbon economy and to strengthening the competitiveness of advanced economies. The successful implementation of this transformation requires that the workforce is equipped with the relevant skills needed to handle green-digital technologies and that a sufficient number of innovation experts are available. In this context, they play a key role micro-commitments, which represent flexible, targeted and accessible learning opportunities.

What are green skills?

The term “green skills” has several definitions in the literature. According to Cedefop (2010), these are: "knowledge, skills, values and attitudes necessary for living, developing and supporting a sustainable and resource-efficient society". The UK government defines them similarly, emphasising the need to reduce the impact of human activity on the environment. However, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) argues that skills cannot in themselves be “green”, and that it is therefore more accurate to speak of "skills for green transformation" or "competences for the green shift".

The European Training Foundation (ETF, 2022) distinguishes two main categories of green skills:

• Technical knowledge and skills: They enable professionals to effectively utilize green technologies and processes that reduce waste and minimize environmental impact.
• Transversal skills, knowledge, values and attitudes: They help make pro-environmental decisions at work and in life.

Examples include practical skills (e.g. heat pump installation, recycling), soft skills (e.g. project management, collaboration, digital skills) and understanding/attitudes (e.g. climate literacy, environmental management). The European Classification of Occupations, Skills and Competences (ESCO) has compiled an extensive list 571 green skills and knowledge concepts. Vona et al. (2018) also identified four key skill categories for greener jobs:

• Engineering and technical skills: Needed at various stages of technology, including design, construction and installation.
• Operational management skills: They are related to new organizational practices needed in greener operations, in particular continuous assessment and adaptive business practices.
• Monitoring skills: They include legal, administrative and technical activities necessary to comply with regulatory standards.
• Scientific skills: Important in the early stages of the innovation process, with specific knowledge applicable to environmental issues.

Micro-credentials in the context of green skills

Micro-commitments are perceived as flexible and agile solution to bridge skills gaps and aligning skills supply with changing demand, particularly in the context of the twin transformations. While micro-credentials are increasingly focused on digital skills, specific micro-credentials focused on green skills or covering both digital and green skills are more recent. However, green skills are still lagging behind digital skills in the content of micro-credentials, mainly due to absence of standardized frameworks and integrating them into broader sustainability initiatives, rather than being seen as separate areas of focus.

Nevertheless, there are specific initiatives aimed at developing green skills through micro-assignments. For example Estonia launched the Green Skills Programme with an investment of EUR 15 million from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which aims to create flexible learning opportunities and support companies in implementing the green transition. In Ireland The MicroCreds project, led by the Irish Universities Association (IUA), also supports digital and green transformation. Their course offerings include topics such as decarbonization, climate change and green labs.

European University Alliances also play a key role. For example One Europe offers a micro-credential in sustainability that provides a comprehensive understanding of global sustainability challenges and skills relevant to the green transformation, including five MOOC courses. Alliance ENHANCE focuses on three pilot themes that are in line with the twin transformation goals: digitalisation and artificial intelligence, smart and sustainable cities and communities, and climate action, offering MOOCs in these areas. Similarly EU-CONEXUS offers micro-credentials for green and digital skills, such as climate resilience and smart green cities. Other examples include Norway’s University of Oslo, which has created micro-credential courses focused on the circular economy, life cycle assessment and waste management. Even the AI Campus platform in Germany, primarily focused on AI, is incorporating elements of the green agenda into its future skills framework and developing courses on climate change for the STEM sector.

Challenges and the future

Although micro-commitments are a significant tool for dual transformation, lack of standardized frameworks for green skills and their frequent integration into broader sustainability initiatives make it difficult to develop specific micro-credentials. However, as environmental concerns become increasingly pressing, the emphasis on green skills across industries is expected to increase. The successful development and implementation of micro-credentials for the green transformation is crucial long-term and sustainable financing, quality assurance and integration into wider national priorities. It is important that Member States align their national strategies for developing alternative learning pathways, such as micro-credentials, with national priorities aimed at supporting digital and green skills for the twin transformation.

Micro-credentials hold significant promise for adapting to evolving education and workforce needs. However, to fully realize this potential, challenges need to be overcome and a robust ecosystem must be created to support the development and recognition of green skills across society. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Micro-certificates (Micro-credentials): A record of learning outcomes acquired by a learner after completing a small amount of learning, assessed against transparent criteria. They are designed to provide specific knowledge, skills and competences that respond to diverse societal, personal, cultural or market needs. They are learner-owned, transferable and shareable.
• Twin Transition: The current process of digital transformation and green transformation. It indicates the challenges and opportunities associated with advances in digital technologies and the transition to sustainable, green practices.
• Digital Skills: Competencies needed to use digital technologies for work, learning and life. The document refers to the DigComp framework, which identifies areas such as information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, security and problem solving.
• Green Skills: The skills, knowledge, values and attitudes needed to support a sustainable and resource-efficient society. These may include practical skills (e.g. heat pump installation), soft skills (e.g. project management for environmental projects) and attitudinal skills (e.g. environmental awareness).
• Higher Education Institutions (HEI): Universities and other tertiary education institutions are key actors in the provision and development of micro-certificates in the context of the document.
• Stackability: The principle whereby smaller learning units, such as micro-certificates, can be combined or “stacked” into larger qualifications or traditional degree programmes, providing more flexible learning pathways.
• National Qualifications Framework (NQF): A system of qualifications classification in a given country that sets out levels of education and criteria for the recognition of learning outcomes. The integration of micro-certificates into the NQF is an important challenge for their formal recognition.
• European Education Area (EEA): A European Union initiative that aims to create a single education area by 2025, where diplomas and qualifications are easily recognized and where everyone has access to high-quality education and training.
• DigComp (Digital Competence Framework for Citizens): The European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens, which defines key digital skills, is an important reference point for the development of digital skills across the EU.
• European Universities Alliances: Partnerships between universities across Europe that collaborate on innovation in education, research and knowledge transfer. Some of them (e.g. Una Europa, ENHANCE Alliance, EU-CONEXUS) actively offer micro-certificates for digital and green skills.