PROVIDING PUPILS WITH SKILLS FOR TOMORROW
Schools were invited by the University to explore the challenges and career opportunities associated with issues such as responsible energy use, ethical food production and sustainable construction processes.
Over the course of the day, pupils aged 11-14 took part in a range of workshops led by expert practitioners and featured real-life challenges. Outside of the workshops, exhibiting businesses offered career advice and business insight in to sustainability and how these skills are required in all businesses.
Worcestershire-based building contractor, Speller Metcalfe, was among the many businesses that attended the event.
Speller Metcalfe’s environmental manager, Dan Gamson, found the event to be a huge success: “Students demonstrated a good level of general knowledge around the subject and showed a real desire to learn about current environmental issues and our future challenges.
“There was genuine interest in the measures that the construction industry are currently taking to tackle our environmental impact, particularly the effect the industry has locally.”
The University of Worcester’s explicit vision is to promote sustainable ways of working and living and to act in a sustainable and environmentally enhancing way. Skills for Tomorrow proved a great platform to share these expertise with other educational institutions.
For the Director of Sustainability, Katy Boom, it has been a positive experience organising Skills for Tomorrow: “By creating interactive events we have been inspiring school students to seek employment available to them within the low carbon economy. University students doing a variety of degrees have also helped to create and run the workshops, increasing their sustainability and employability skills.
“Combining workshops and an exhibition has created a link between the classroom and career opportunities, as well as showing the younger generation the direct impact they can have on our sustainable future.”
Pupils were invited to produce a short web post about the day’s events. All entries are in the process of being judged by the Worcester News.