Young people are being encouraged to consider green jobs as part of a major new campaign.

The Path is Green (tp:g) initiative aims to highlight how the expected growth of the renewables sector in Scotland has brought job opportunities.

The campaign was launched yesterday by Careers Scotland and backed by Heather Reid, the BBC weather presenter.

She said: "Many people may associate green jobs with working on wind farms but it also includes many other professions such as working as a forest ranger, electrician or ecological surveyor."

At present, there are around 80,000 green jobs in Scotland and this is expected to increase by 50,000 over the next 10 to 15 years.

Careers Scotland hopes to ensure there are enough skilled people to meet the demand for jobs.

The tp:g campaign will involve a combination of online advertising on social networking sites, an e-zine, online quiz, a viral game and a national competition for schools and colleges.