School pupils given a taste of college’s vision to support a sustainable future

The rallying call was issued as part of ‘Sustainable Futures’ a day-long series of hands-on workshops delivered by Northampton College aiming to inspire students to consider careers in industries that will have an impact on the future of the planet.

Students from Guilsborough Academy, Campion School, The Duston School and Sir Christopher Hatton Academy took part in the event, held to mark ‘Earth Day’, learning how embedding sustainable practices into a wide range of industries can have significant environmental benefits.

Pat Brennan-Barrett, principal of Northampton College, said: “Young people have an important role to play in advocating environmental change and establishing sustainability for the future.

“The green economy is a huge priority for the UK, making this an exciting time to work in the environmental sector. There is a wide range of ‘green-collar’ jobs for young people to consider, with huge growth expected in wind and wave power, bio energy, energy and waste management and plug-in electrical vehicles.

“This event goes a long way to igniting the spark in a new intake of students who have the environment at their heart and have the passion and skills to make a difference for generations to come.”

A workshop delivered by two local employers, CEF and Thorn Electrical, looked at the importance of sustainability within the construction industry and the increasing use of renewable energy sources. Students experienced solar power in real-time and discovered its benefits for the environment, and even tried their hand at fitting some solar panel brackets.

Guests Sorcha Leavey and Jacques Meheut looked at how drones are used to monitor glaciers, volcanic calderas, forest fires and chemical spills in the ocean, and gave students the opportunity to get involved in a practical satellite challenge created by Airbus, a pioneering sustainable aerospace company.

Active Ants, a Northampton-based forerunner in sustainable logistics and fulfilment, put students’ logic and problem-solving skills to the test by getting them to solve day-to-day problems using sustainable and creative methods as they learnt about supply chains for health and beauty, fashion, nutrition and small electronics.

The final workshop saw pupils take a first-hand look at the College’s fully electric Nissan Leaf and hybrid vehicle trainers, which allow students to develop their knowledge of hybrid and electric vehicles.

For more information on Northampton College, or to apply for a course starting this September, visit www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk