TCB Conference 2026: Workforce Development in the Clean Economy (Breakout Event 1)

Breakout Event 1 of The Clean Economy Bridge Conference focuses on workforce development as a critical condition for delivering the clean economy transition, at speed, at scale, and fairly. As demand grows for skills across clean power, grids, buildings, industry, and emerging technologies, governments and employers face a shared challenge: enabling workers to transition into new roles while ensuring equitable access to quality jobs and making sure no community is left behind.

This session brings together perspectives from Canada, Germany, and the United States to explore how labour market policy, education and training systems, and industry-led initiatives can work together to anticipate skills needs and reduce bottlenecks. It will also address how to manage the social dimension of structural change—especially in regions and sectors facing disruption, from job quality and safety to career progression and collective representation.

The discussion will span three interconnected themes: identifying and forecasting skills needs across clean economy sectors; designing effective training, reskilling, and credential pathways that reach diverse groups, including women, migrants, and underrepresented communities; and ensuring just transition outcomes through place-based strategies, social dialogue, and targeted support for affected workers and regions. Across all three, a common thread emerges: successful clean economy policies depend not only on technology and investment, but on people, and on building trust that the transition will be fair.