What work will we be doing in 2025? What skills will we need and how will we ensure that our young people have the education that they will require to live without fossil fuels and to cope with the challenges that we will face as a community?

There will be no shortage of work in 2025! We will need to make much more use of local resources to meet local needs and most people will be employed locally in a wide range of skilled tasks. Many more people will be employed, in growing, processing and distributing food.  A large number of people will be employed by a major programme of refurbishment of our housing stock and there will be plenty of opportunities in installation and maintenance of renewable energy systems.

Local health care services, local entertainment and arts activities will provide much employment.  Skills in facilitation and running participatory meetings will be crucial for local governance and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute their ideas and creativity. The provision of flexible workspace, shared office facilities, starter units and workshops will be crucial to enable the setting up the range of enterprises that will be needed.  Many of these enterprises will be based on reuse, repair and recycling. Alternative models of social enterprise, community ownership, cooperatives and social firms will become commonplace. Local financial institutions and a local currency will be required to facilitate the development of a revitalised and vibrant local economy.

There will be many opportunities for lifelong learning and practical skills training. Schools will be focussed on giving young people opportunities to develop a strong sense of connection to our locality and an understanding of nature’s cycles, of our common humanity and of global equity. There will be an emphasis on learning through doing and on learning practical skills which develop ‘hand, head and heart’. Education will encourage critical thinking skills, adaptability and teamwork. Skills in group working, facilitation and conflict resolution will be highly valued.

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