Green Jobs

Growing skills for a greener future

Green skills and employability are central to what we do at City of Trees. We want more people from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to develop practical skills, build confidence and explore careers in forestry and the environmental sector, while helping to grow the skilled workforce needed to support nature recovery across Greater Manchester.
Through training and partnerships with job centres, schools, charities and other organisations, our Green Skills programme creates opportunities for people to gain practical experience, develop new skills and take their next steps towards employment.

We take a person-centred approach, recognising that everyone starts from a different place and that there’s no single route into a green career.

Get in touch

Whether you’re looking t or work with us to create opportunito build your skills, we’d love to hear from you.

Why green skills matter

Green jobs are jobs that contribute to protecting or restoring our environment, including work that helps us respond and adapt to climate change. There are growing opportunities within the sector, but there are challenges too. Forestry and arboriculture face a significant skills shortage and an ageing workforce, while the environmental sector remains one of the least diverse sectors in the UK.

For many people, knowing what opportunities are available can be a barrier in itself. Limited awareness of career pathways and the cost of training can make it harder to take that first step – particularly for young people. Our Green Skills programme is helping to change that by making the sector more accessible, developing skills and creating opportunities for more people to get involved.

A pathway into green skills

There isn’t one set route into the environmental sector. Our Green Skills pathway gives people opportunities to get involved at different stages and find the next step that works for them.

Citizen Forester → Skills development programmes → Green jobs and training → City of Trees opportunities

Someone might start by volunteering as a Citizen Forester, take part in one of our skills development programmes, progress into accredited training or an apprenticeship, or move into employment.

And the journey isn’t necessarily a straight line. People can move between different stages depending on their circumstances, experience and ambitions. We offer signposting and support along the way, helping people find opportunities that are right for them.

From green skills to green jobs

For some people, the next step can be closer to home. Our Urban Forestry Services Team creates opportunities for people to develop practical forestry skills while delivering tree planting and woodland management work across Greater Manchester.

Established in 2024, the team has created paid roles for new foresters, including people who first got involved with City of Trees through volunteering – putting green skills into practice while keeping skills and experience here in the city region.

Meet our Urban Forestry Services Team