Building a Sustainable Future: Unraveling the Link between Environmental Awareness and the Cultivation of Employability and Green skills-A Literature Review

Environmental awareness as a strong predictor in influencing students’ green skills preparation to meet the demands of skills required in the green industry. It is undeniable that employers nowadays prefer workers who possess environmentally friendly skills to promote awareness of sustainable development in various aspects of life, such as the environment, social, and economic domains. This article aims to explore how to build a sustainable future by examining the relationship between environmental awareness and the development of work-related abilities (green skills) based on existing literature. The method used is a literature review of published articles from various academic databases such as Google Scholar, Emerald, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, Scopus, and ResearchGate. Findings from the literature review indicate that environmental awareness has a strong correlation with the formation of green skills, particularly in energy, communication, leadership, waste management, and management skills. Contributions from educational institutions are needed to generate policies that stimulate environmental awareness among students, thereby fostering the development of environmentally friendly skills.


Introduction
The evidence suggests that the green economy has been shown to have positive impacts such as reducing reliance on fossil fuels, lowering pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, promoting material recycling, and embracing renewable energy sources [1].Furthermore, the green economy is expected to promote sustainable growth and development on a global scale, generate green jobs, enhance the acquisition of environmentally friendly skills among individuals, minimize production losses, and tackle challenges related to climate change and environmental degradation [2][3].[4] In the modern era, faced with the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation [5][6], [7] it becomes crucial for individuals to acquire green skills that can promote sustainable practices [8][9].Green skills involve understanding and the ability to adopt environmentally friendly practices such as energy conservation, waste management, recycling, and sustainable agriculture.One factor that influences the development of green skills is the level of environmental awareness of individuals.Since 2010, trends in green employment have tended to align with the overall economic trends in each country, 1248 (2023) 012021 IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1248/1/012021 2 while also being influenced by government policies related to the environment [10].Furthermore, the incorporation of green skills into a job is heavily influenced by green policies related to carbon reduction, energy efficiency, environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and minimizing the use of fossil fuels [10].The rise of a green economy agenda within the context of sustainable development places further requirements on the types of employable skills needed.A green economy necessitates the growth of universal green skills (alongside other skills) that are sought-after across various occupations [11].Green skills are divided into two categories: generic and specific green skills [12].These generic green skills assist in equipping the workforce with the ability to comprehend aspects of green growth, interpret environmental laws, and enhance energy and resource efficiency to facilitate the transition towards a greener economy [13] The integration of green skills in the industrial sector is highly beneficial and should be implemented.It can promote environmental awareness and operational applications that can reduce the consequences on the environment.By incorporating green skills, industries can adopt sustainable practices, minimize their ecological footprint, and contribute to environmental conservation.This integration not only benefits the environment but also enhances the overall sustainability and competitiveness of the industry [14].Regrettably, there is a lack of dedicated permanent mechanisms specifically focused on monitoring and anticipating green jobs and green skills.Instead, the anticipation of green skills is typically incorporated into general skill anticipation mechanisms [10].
The importance of institutional context in developing green skills in various countries and companies has not received sufficient attention in previous research.The education and skill-formation system needs to be improved to meet the demand for developing green skills and support the transition to a green economy in the future [15].Currently, environmental knowledge has been integrated into the curriculum to foster attention for the environment and develop green skills.[16][17] However, several studies have shown that the level of green skills remains low [18].So, the aims of this literature review is to investigate the relationship between environmental awareness and green skills by analyzing relevant research conducted in this field.

Methods
This literature review is based on the search and analysis of relevant scientific articles, books, and other publications related to the topic of environmental awareness and green skills.The search was conducted through academic databases.Document analysis is employed to investigate the correlation between environmental awareness and the green skills required by the green industry.Nevertheless, it is impractical to obtain every study pertaining to the topic, particularly unpublished ones that are challenging to locate.For this research, published articles and technical reports relevant to green skills across different fields are identified from electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Emerald, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, Scopus, and ResearchGate By utilizing keywords such as "environmental awareness," "green skills," "energy conservation," "waste management," and "sustainable behavior."The analysis conducted in this literature review follows a four-step process in a sequential manner to provide a valid response to the research question.These steps include: 1) Finding and gathering relevant materials on environmental awareness and green skills; 2) Reducing and categorizing the collected materials to align with the topic of discussion; 3) Analyzing and synthesizing the information in-depth to gain insights from the materials; 4) Presenting the final conclusions as the concluding phase of the literature review process.

Generic Green Skills
Employers today demand two main types of skills: technical skills and generic skills [12].Technical skills are generally job-specific, such as programming and specific tasks [19].On the other hand, generic skills encompass the ability to interact with work and others, such as communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking [20].Both technical and generic skills are important in jobseeking.
However, a shift has occurred in this scenario.Now, having only technical skills and generic skills is no longer enough to secure a job [21].Employers also expect employees to possess additional skills, such as adaptability to change, initiative, technological understanding, and self-directed learning abilities.The current work environment tends to be more dynamic and complex, requiring employees to have skills that can adapt to rapid changes and meet diverse demands.Technical skills and generic skills remain important, but it is crucial for individuals to continuously develop additional skills relevant to current needs.By combining technical skills, generic skills, and adaptability, individuals can enhance their job-seeking opportunities and contribute effectively in a dynamic and ever-changing workplace.
Generic skills refer to the skills that are essential for students to effectively perform their jobs.Higher education institutions bear the responsibility of producing well-rounded graduates who possess not only academic knowledge but also a range of skills, including leadership, communication, critical thinking, and decision-making skills.These skills are crucial for students to succeed in their careers and make valuable contributions to their respective fields.By equipping students with these generic skills, higher education institutions prepare them to adapt to the demands of the workforce and navigate complex professional environments [22].Moreover, these skills empower students to approach challenges creatively, collaborate with others, and make informed decisions, thereby enhancing their overall employability and professional growth.
Green skills are essential for operating and advancing green technologies [12].However, there remains a lack of clarity in defining green skills.While the majority of the population is familiar with generic skills, technical skills, and job-specific skills, their understanding of green skills is limited [23].Green skills in this context have aligned with the categories of green skills desired by employers, where the classification list has been licensed by most companies that embrace the concept of environmental friendliness in all their organizational activities.Several competencies included in green skills, green skills encompass various sectors [24].Environmental-friendly skills are related to industrial waste management, energy and water efficiency, impact analysis, and grading of these impacts, also known as environmental risk management.
The distinction between generic and specific green skills was highlighted by a pioneering study in this area [14].The difference that appears in line with the generally understood view.Where job competency is classified into two broad categories: generic competency and specific competency (focused on the work performed by an individual) that has a relationship with specific job tasks.Generic competency and specific competency tend to encompass this material and require other competencies such as attitude (behavior), knowledge, and skills, of course.Furthermore, [11] investigated that green skills or environmentally friendly skills are classified into 3 groups: (1) Cognitive competence is crucial in sustainable development, as it offers various skills in analyzing risks, discovering innovations to seize opportunities and reduce threats, as well as skills in identifying challenges in the global environment; (2) The next skill is related to interpersonal skills, which is equally important as other skills.Interpersonal skills encompass several indicators such as the ability to coordinate with others, proficiency in managing businesses that can facilitate and integrate environmental, economic, social, and ecological missions.These skills also include the ability to promote environmentally friendly products and the ability to mitigate conflicts through negotiation; (3) Next is the intrapersonal skill, which refers to an individual's ability to adapt to advancements, such as new technologies implemented in a job within a sustainable organization.Furthermore, this skill encompasses the ability to adapt and transfer skills, such as entrepreneurial skills that prioritize opportunities in utilizing low-carbon technologies.

Environmental Awareness
In 2018, there was a significant increase in public awareness regarding environmental issues and global climate change, despite ongoing debates and controversies surrounding their underlying causes [10].As environmental concerns become more widely recognized, there is a growing need for business practices that prioritize sustainability and eco-friendliness [25].Environmental awareness is one of the indicators that can drive the formation of green skills [26].The behaviour of an individual to explore and enhance their understanding of the environment and its implications for sustainable development, as well as focusing on environmental issues, barriers, and challenges in environmental management, can be referred to as environmental awareness [27].Proficiency in environmental risk management plays a significant role in promoting the transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly industry [13].As a result, this can encourage the development of green skills.This discovery suggests that alterations in environmental regulations do not affect the entirety of the job market.Instead, these changes create a noticeable discrepancy, albeit a minor one, in the demand for specific green skills [28].Environmental awareness education encourages individuals to become members of society with outstanding character traits [29].

Education for Sustainable Development
The goal of sustainable development is to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs [30].The concept of sustainable development emerged alongside the acute awareness of ecological decline and destruction in the 1980s, manifested in issues such as poverty, scarcity, and the devastating neglect of cities in many parts of the world that were unsustainable [31].Sustainable development is a term that arose from the understanding of the importance of conducting development oriented towards the realization and preservation of the environment, due to the existing decline in environmental functioning.
Sustainable The approach to sustainable development also integrates concerns about social challenges faced by humanity with the capacity for ecological system utilization [32].The initial definition of sustainability emerged in the 1970s, emphasizing the importance of an economy in balance with the fundamental ecological system.The debate on sustainable development revolves around three primary resources: social, natural, and economic, which are non-renewable and will be depleted if consumed without proper management [33].
Education has the potential to motivate individuals to engage in pro-environmental behaviors, thereby increasing environmental awareness [34].Furthermore, education plays a crucial role in establishing the foundation for quality of life, economic development, and social and moral values.Current academic discussions place greater emphasis on the general competencies of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which are skills expected to foster active, reflective, and collaborative learning towards sustainability [35][36].Teachers, as key agents of education, can integrate environmental awareness to achieve a more sustainable society by imparting knowledge and values to students, enabling them to act responsibly towards sustainability and encouraging environmentally friendly skills [37].

Environmental Awareness and Green Skills for Sustainable Development
Increasing awareness of the environment plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable behaviors and practices [25].It involves understanding global environmental issues and adopting strategies to positively impact these concerns [38].Environmental awareness can lead to changes in consumption behavior, such as making savings or choosing environmentally friendly products.Hungerford and Volk (1990) argue that environmental awareness fosters a sense of consciousness and sensitivity towards the environment and its associated issues among individuals and social groups.Moreover, there exists a positive correlation between environmental awareness and environmental knowledge, indicating that an increase in knowledge leads to greater awareness.
The current era of civilization has witnessed a shift in societal norms towards embracing principles that prioritize social and environmental responsibility [39].This can be observed through the remarkable environmental advocacy displayed by today's young generation [40].The current young generation is competing to voice the importance of environmental awareness amidst the increasing environmental degradation [41].It is evident that the environmental awareness among the young generation is quite high, as seen from the empirical evidence presented earlier.This environmental consciousness will serve as the foundation for the development of green skills among the younger generation.The effectiveness IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1248/1/0120215 of campaigns promoting environmental awareness depends on the targeted group's activities and social interaction [42].The objective of such campaigns is to assess participants' environmental knowledge and disseminate information to raise environmental awareness.To conduct effective campaigns, it is essential to possess generic green skills.[10] Campaigns promoting environmental has extensively worked in this area and provides an understanding and definition of "green" skills, which encompass the knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes necessary for sustainable living and reducing the impact of human activities on the environment.A recent study suggests that in order to acquire "environmentally friendly skills," individuals must possess advanced qualifications in areas such as design, production, management, technology control, and technical knowledge [15].The presence of environmental regulations encourages technological progress and boosts the demand for skills rooted in technology and science [15], play a role in developing skills necessary for green job opportunities [43].
Environmental education and increasing awareness of environmental issues among the overall population and especially among business people are crucial approaches in transitioning to a "green skills" There is a need to enhance the effectiveness of existing educational programs and develop new ones that consider the rational use of natural resources and environmental protection [43].These new programs will be implemented in the education and personnel training system.We must formulate a strategy for the advancement of "eco-friendly competencies" through the educational framework, encompassing colleges and training programs [43].Currently, environmental education has become a top priority in all educational institution [43].The proposed approach includes three key components: policy adjustments, evaluation and enhancement of the curriculum, and fostering professional development [11].
From the interconnectedness of existing literature, it is evident that it is important to cultivate environmental awareness through education.This can be achieved by integrating environmental education into the educational system (through curriculum improvements, embedding it in the teaching and learning process, and formulating policies) that can encourage the development of environmental consciousness.The aim is to stimulate green skills among individuals.Therefore, it is hoped that environmental awareness can grow and drive behaviors and green skills that will be beneficial for education and sustainable development.

Conclusion, Implication, Recommendation
Environmental awareness is in control and spearheading efforts to develop green skills among individuals.If individuals master knowledge about the environment, then the individual's potential to have high environmental awareness and tend to internalize and implement environmentally friendly and sustainable behavior, which will ultimately lead to individual contributions to environmental protection and restoration.Thus, a continuous effort to increase environmental awareness through education is essential to develop eco-friendly skills and promote positive changes towards sustainable development and environmental sustainability.
As a strategic step to develop and internalize and promote positive changes towards a sustainable environment, it is very necessary that environmental awareness is mastered by every individual.Apart from that, it is also necessary to expand and improve environmental and conservation education programs at every level of elementary, secondary and tertiary education.With a view to ensuring that individuals are adequate in knowledge and skills to engage in green practices.The next strategic step could be through collaboration between government, non-government and educational institutions collaborating on programs that encourage increased environmental awareness among individuals.One form of collaboration is inviting the business world and the industrial world from government and nongovernment institutions to be directly involved in curriculum reconstruction in primary, secondary and tertiary education.The importance of including subjects or courses that contain environmental elements to encourage the formation of green skills so that it will have implications for individual work competencies that are in harmony with the green industry and can encourage sustainable development.