What Do Young People Really Know About Net Zero?

As Australia accelerates toward a net‑zero future, one question continues to surface in our work with schools, industry, and government:

What do young people actually understand about Net Zero — and do they see it as a future career opportunity?

To help answer that, we recently completed two student surveys:

• One at the Lake Macquarie–Newcastle–Central Coast Renewable Energy Skills & Careers Expo
• Another at Singleton Council’s Career Day

The insights were eye‑opening — and reinforce why early, well‑designed education engagement is so critical if we want to build a workforce ready for decarbonisation.

The Awareness Gap Is Real

Across both events, the majority of students told us they were either:

• Unfamiliar with Net Zero, or
• Only vaguely aware of what it means

For a concept that underpins Australia’s future energy system, workforce planning, and economic transformation, this highlights a clear challenge.

If young people don’t understand what Net Zero is — or how it connects to real jobs — it’s difficult for them to see it as something exciting, achievable, or relevant to their own future.

And yet, the issue isn’t lack of interest.

The Appetite to Learn Is Strong

While awareness was low, enthusiasm was not.

When asked how they would like to learn about Net Zero and decarbonisation, students consistently told us they prefer:

• Hands‑on activities
• Gamified learning experiences
• Group discussions and collaborative tasks

Traditional, passive delivery ranked far lower.

Just as importantly, students showed strong interest in practical, real‑world topics, including:

• Renewable energy technologies
• Climate change science
• Reducing waste and circular economy practices
• Sustainable transport and mobility

The message is clear:
Young people want learning that is active, applied, and connected to real outcomes.

Why This Matters for the Future Workforce

Net Zero isn’t just an environmental goal — it’s a career corridor.

It spans:

• Trades and technical roles
• Engineering and data
• Manufacturing and logistics
• Planning, policy, and project delivery
• Education, communication, and community engagement

If students aren’t exposed early to what these pathways look like, regions risk:

• Skills shortages in emerging industries
• Missed opportunities to grow local talent
• A disconnect between education and workforce demand

This is why early, place‑based engagement matters — and why Net Z(ed) exists.

Turning Insight into Action

The survey results are now being translated into high‑level dashboards, helping us — and our partners — better understand:

• Where knowledge gaps exist
• What learning approaches resonate most
• How to design more effective Net Zero education experiences

If you’d like to dive deeper into the data or explore what this could mean for your school, organisation, or region, just let us know — we’re always happy to share insights.

Join Team Net Z(ed)

At MCB Business Partners, we believe preparing young people for a net‑zero future requires collaboration — between education, industry, and government.

If you’re:

• Passionate about shaping how the next generation engages with Net Zero
• Interested in bringing real‑world stories, careers, or expertise into schools
• Looking to support meaningful, measurable education engagement

👉 Get in touch and be part of Team Net Z(ed).
We’d love to collaborate and help build the pathways our future workforce needs.

Because Net Zero won’t succeed on technology alone —
it will succeed when young people can see themselves in it.