Youth want jobs that make a difference, especially in a world facing climate change. As one billion children are affected globally, many young people in Malaysia are asking a bigger question: What kind of future do I want to help build?
In a world driven by profit and competition, this shift shows that youth want purpose in the work they do.
Malaysia’s changing climate is causing mood swings to our weather. We see drier days, worsening floods and feel a growing uncertainty about the future. Young people make up nearly 30% of the population in Malaysia. We will inherit these challenges. So it’s only natural that we want careers that help shape a better future.
This World Environment Day, the theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future” reminds us that protecting the environment also protects the people.
Why jobs that make a difference matter
Tame Impala says “the less I know the better”, but for me it’s the opposite. The more I learn about climate change, the more I care about its impact.
Early evidence from the National Youth Climate Change Survey (NYCC) 2025, conducted by UNICEF and Malaysia’s Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, shows this clearly.
Among the 83.1% young people who said they know what climate change is, 84.6% are interested in green jobs. Why? Nearly 1 in 2 say they want to make a difference through their careers.
So, what is the green industry?
To me, green jobs are simply jobs that help the planet and benefit people and the Rakyat. These jobs protect communities and help build a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable future for everyone. They include roles like a clean energy engineer, a community programme officer or an architect who designs eco-friendly buildings.
Head, Heart and Hands
My personal way of life has always been this: to care is to learn how to act.
UNICEF Malaysia’s Education Specialist, Azlina Kamal, once shared the “Head, Heart and Hands” concept with me.
The idea is simple. The head builds understanding, the heart builds empathy and the hands turn those values into action.
In a world that is changing because of the climate, meaningful learning prepares children for the realities they will live and work in. This means redefining success. Rather than just academic achievement, we should also celebrate the values of being contributing members of society.
This is where greening education plays a key role.
Greening education for real-world impact
There is a saying in Bahasa Malaysia: “Tak kenal maka tak cinta”. It means you cannot love what you do not know.
This is why green education is important.
When children and young people understand nature, communities and the challenges others face, they are more likely to care. And when they care, they are more likely to act.
Greening education helps children and young people understand the relationship between people and the planet, showing them that their actions matter.
Young people need the knowledge to understand the challenges of the changing climate, the compassion to care about those affected and the confidence to contribute solutions. This is a way to nurture the future workforce who value impact alongside income.
Today, many young people are no longer motivated just by salary or status. We are looking for purpose and a sense that our work contributes to something larger than ourselves.
Jobs that make a difference are real jobs
The work I do today reminds me that it is possible to build a career helping both people and the planet.
Climate action and meaningful work are not separate. A sustainable future needs people in every role, from educators and policymakers to innovators, creators, engineers and community leaders who are willing to solve problems that benefit the people.
Jobs that make a difference must be treated as real careers. Young people are not free labour and impact work is not just volunteering.
If more young people are to take this path, there must be support systems in place. Caring about the environment and society should not just be something we do after a 9-to-5. Work that protects the Earth’s ecosystems and people must be recognized and fairly paid.
#NowForClimate – Turning care into action
Climate action begins with the simple act of caring. It means caring about the environment, the people around us and future generations.
This World Environment Day, we should let nature inspire us to rethink what success looks like.
A future worth fighting for will require more than economic growth alone. It will need a generation with the head to understand, the heart to care and the hands to act for the Rakyat.
