- Two-day event equipped 50 young people with skills to start sustainable careers
- Roles ranged from energy and talent specialists to project analysts, costume managers, sound designers and heat pump engineers
- 30 candidates that interviewed progressed to the second stage, with six candidates joining talent pools on the spot
Octopus Energy, The King’s Trust and leading hiring platform Indeed joined forces for their first Jobs That Matter festival, opening doors to green careers for young people across the UK.
Held on the 25th and 26th of September at Octopus’ London HQ, 50 young people had the chance to network, interview and learn firsthand from industry experts.
Day one of the two-day festival kicked off with hands-on workshops, where aspiring green professionals sharpened their interview skills, perfected CVs and built confidence.
On day two, participants put their new skills to the test in real interviews for 20 green roles at organisations including Octopus Energy, Selfridges and Horizon Community Care.
By the end of the event, 30 candidates that interviewed progressed to the second stage, and six additional young people were added to employer talent pipelines for future vacancies.
At Octopus Energy alone, 17 of the 23 candidates who interviewed for roles received same-day callbacks.
Recent research by Public First, commissioned by The King's Trust, found that half of young people aged 16-25 have never heard the term "green jobs" during their education*.
Jobs That Matter, an initiative founded by Octopus Energy with support from The King's Trust, aims to change that by connecting young people – including those from marginalised backgrounds – with meaningful, sustainable careers.
Olivia Wray, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Octopus Energy, said: “Creating more sustainable, future-proof jobs not only benefits young people entering the workforce – it’s also essential to creating a cleaner planet. We’re excited to welcome bright young talent ready to help power the green energy transition.”
King’s Trust CEO, Jonathan Townsend, said: “The King’s Trust is committed to ending youth unemployment and events such as these are brilliant for both young people and employers.
“The young people present at the event, many from underserved communities, will learn valuable skills, build connections and some may leave with a job. For the employers, they can connect with young people who bring creativity, dedication and a diversity of thought to their organisation that will be great assets.
“The Trust supports thousands of young people each year to build skills and confidence for work because we believe having a job can help towards a more stable and fulfilling life.”
Mai, a Jobs that Matter attendee, said: "I just graduated from uni, and this is exactly what I needed!"
Jamie, also a Jobs that Matter attendee, said: "A few of us have been looking for jobs for a while and it can be really disheartening, but at the event, everyone was really friendly and the sense of competition was really light and positive. It made job hunting and recruitment a fun experience which it never normally is.
“I hope many other young people from less privileged backgrounds get this same opportunity and support. It gave me a much needed confidence boost."
Octopus Energy is a top UK employer, having received 230,000 job applications so far in 2025. It has earned places in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025 list, won UK Company Culture Awards' Best Company to Work For 2025, two Stevie Awards for Great Employers in 2025 and is among Glassdoor’s top places to work.
