Dr Pauline Anderson

Senior Lecturer

Work, Employment and Organisation

Personal statement

My research expertise lies in the broad area of skills, jobs and working life. I have particular interest in the future of work, the digital and green transitions, building better and more inclusive skill ecosystems, job quality, changing work locations, labour market and education/training developments and issues. My recent/current research and research projects are increasingly concerned with green jobs, green skills and a ‘just’ transition to net zero (e.g. The Green Factor).

Prior to moving into academia, I worked in the public and third sectors for over 15 years. Much of my research has a strong policy focus, and I have a sustained track record of leading, managing and delivering high-quality research and consultancy projects from a range of funders - including UNDP, British Academy/Leverhulme, the Scottish Government, SDS, Close the Gap, UK Major Ports Group. I previously served on the leadership team of the Centre for Work-based Learning (CWBL) and was a member of the OECD Expert Advisory Group on the project Better Using Skills in the Workplace (in collaboration with the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). I currently serve on the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) Implementation Steering Group (having previously served on the CESAP Expert Group, which oversaw the development of the CESAP).

Expertise

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Area of Expertise

Skills, jobs and working life

Skill ecosystems

Skill formation systems

Labour market developments and issues

Professions and professionalisation

Healthy workers and workplaces

Career transitions

Qualifications

BA (Hons) in Psychology and Sociology (Strathclyde), Postgraduate Diploma in Alcohol Studies (Paisley College of Technology), MSc in Occupational Psychology (Strathclyde/Heriot-Watt), PhD in Human Resource Management (ESRC Case Studentship, Strathclyde), Chartered Occupational Psychologist (British Psychological Society), Practitioner Psychologist (HCPC).

Publications

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Publications

A just transition? : Green jobs, good jobs and labour market inclusivity in Scotland: Warhurst Chris, Harris Jamelia, Cardenas Rubio Jeisson, Anderson Pauline; European Journal of Workplace Innovation Vol 9, pp. 63-79 (2025); https://doi.org/10.46364/ejwi.v9i2.1423
Financial stress and sustainable start to graduate careers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Okay-Somerville Belgin, Scholarios Dora, Luchinskaya Daria, Anderson Pauline, Hurrell Scott; Academy of Management Proceedings Vol 2024 (2024); https://doi.org/10.5465/amproc.2024.21561abstract
'The best laid plans’ : reflexivity, employability and early employment outcomes when graduating in a pandemic: Hurrell Scott, Anderson Pauline, Luchinskaya Daria, Scholarios Dora, Okay-Somerville Belgin; Research in the Sociology of Work Employability (2024) (2024)
Graduating in a pandemic without safety nets : the role of career competencies for sustainable start to careers: Okay-Somerville Belgin, Luchinskaya Daria, Scholarios Dora, Anderson Pauline, Hurrell Scott; SRHE International Conference 2023 (2023)
Understanding the Impact of the Transition to Net Zero on Low Paid Jobs: Congreve Emma, Crummey Ciara, Anderson Pauline, Hannon Matthew, Oxby Josh; (2023); https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00086721
Scottish Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan Consultation : University of Strathclyde Response: Corbett Hannah, Calvillo Munoz Christian, Hannon Matthew, Anderson Pauline, Cairns Iain, Davies Kathleen, Galloway Stuart, Hawker Graeme, MacIver Callum, McGarry Connor, Turner Karen, Yarr Roddy; (2023); https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00085444

More publications

Teaching

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Teaching

People, Technology and Work

Work, Employment and Society

Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management

Labour and Diversity in a Global Context

Qualitative Methods

Research

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Research Interests

Examples of current/recent research include:

Green jobs: definition and measurement
The skills ecosystem for subsurface net zero technologies and principles for a just transition
Routes to net zero: engineering better geoscience skill ecosystems
Low paid work and the transition to net zero
Graduating in a pandemic: careers, well-being and hopes for the future
The future Ports' workforce
What works for remote first
Skills needs in construction, textiles and renewables
Fair work in modern and graduate apprenticeships
Meta/future-skills mapping
The chef skills shortage crisis
Developing advanced manufacturing skills
Changing demand for green jobs and skills
Women in new green jobs (wind turbine jobs/roles)
The professionalisation of intermediate occupations

Professional Activities

Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) Annual Conference.: Participant; 30/6/2024
Net Zero Industrial Cluster Exchange (NICE) Conference: Participant; 21/11/2023
Understanding the impact of the transition to net zero on low paid jobs: Contributor; 21/9/2023
Work, Employment and Society Conference: Participant; 13/9/2023
External PhD Examiner, University of Stirling: Examiner; 8/2023
Coffee Break Workshop on Workforce for Net Zero Project Delivery (Discussant): Participant; 19/4/2023

More professional activities

Projects

Future Energy Skills Summit: MacKinnon, Calum (Research Co-investigator) Bell, Keith (Principal Investigator) Brown, Eric (Principal Investigator) Anderson, Pauline (Academic); 01-Jan-2024 - 27-Jan-2024
Green Jobs and a Just Transition in Moray: Anderson, Pauline (Principal Investigator); 30-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2023
Green Jobs and the Green Economy in York (University of Wawick): Anderson, Pauline (Principal Investigator); 22-Jan-2022 - 22-Jan-2022
The Skills Ecosystem for Subsurface Net Zero Technologies and Principles for a Just Tansition (RSE SAPHIRE 2021: Roberts, Jen (Principal Investigator) Anderson, Pauline (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2022 - 01-Jan-2023
Green jobs in Scotland. Workforce and demand research (Skills Development Scotland): Cardenas Rubio, Jeisson (Principal Investigator) Warhurst, Chris (Co-investigator) Anderson, Pauline (Co-investigator) Hogarth, Terence (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2022 - 01-Jan-2022
The future ports workforce: Towards a competitive, ‘just’ and sustainable transition: Anderson, Pauline (Principal Investigator) Scholarios, Dora (Co-investigator); This research used a skill ecosystem lens to explore some of the key challenges to and opportunities for building the future ports workforce.; 14-Jan-2020 - 29-Jan-2021