How many job applicants does it take to change a lightbulb? As we've recently found out from a Hays employment survey, only the successful ones. The firm's annual global skills shortage list, which investigates those key areas employers are lacking in when it comes to recruit, put green skills alongside IT know-how and financial and budgetary sense in the top ten.
And it's not just about switching in LED bathroom lights and turning off the monitors at night. Knowing how to save a business money with energy-saving tips in a thriving sector is a skill increasingly coveted by employers.
"Lots of big companies are now creating new positions such as energy managers, where their sole target is to literally save power and money for the company while reducing their carbon footprint at the same time." That's according to DFX Technology, a firm which specialises in communications and lighting equipment in markets that operate worldwide.
And according to the Hays survey, it's the kind of skill that could set you out from the crowd when you're looking for a new role. Recycling and saving money on energy bills isn't just good for the environment and your wallet - it's also good for your career.
"Most people are looking to save energy," said the company spokesperson, "which is the main aim. But they are also looking to save money."
And it's a business lesson you can apply to your home, especially with spiralling fuel costs. You needn't hire an HR manager to sit down at the dinner table with your family each evening, but steps such as insulating your home against the cold and installing greener lighting and heating solutions are all ways you can put the freeze on increasing gas and electricity bills.
"LED products are all energy-saving products and low maintenance, too," says DFX. "The average power consumption of them compared to the light that it would be replacing results in about a 50 per cent energy saving."
