Case Studies
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Green Changemakers, a growing body of further education staff in the West Midlands and Warwickshire, are coming together as an influential community of practitioners and rapidly redefining the part colleges play in Green Skills and sustainability. These Green Changemakers are active within many parts of their organisations bringing about transformational change from within.
The Green Changemaker course was designed and delivered within the regional Local Skills Improvement Fund Project funded by the Department for Education.
Only four months into the initiative, the 40 Changemakers from 17 different organisations were already active in effecting deep changes in their respective colleges, not just across the curriculum and pedagogy, but in strategy, the college environment and the student experience. With further Green Changemaker courses in the offing, and an interactive virtual tutor hub in development to give educators across the region the connectivity, resources and support to keep updated, the future of skills in the West Midlands and Warwickshire certainly looks Green.
It was launched to help tutors find their way in a world where most people want to do something but are petrified by #ecoanxiety. Green Changemaking is a game-changer, shifting those good intentions to sustainable change and aligning practice to strategy within their colleges
Fircroft College is deeply committed to promoting social, climate, and environmental justice, with a focused strategic goal of cultivating global sustainable citizens. This commitment is evident in the college’s comprehensive climate action plan, which impacts all aspects of its operations, including curriculum development, campus management, community partnerships, and staff engagement. Embracing the concept of ‘Climate Joy,’ staff are encouraged to align their personal passions with the college’s sustainability objectives, leading to the creation of individual sustainability objectives tailored to the interests of each member of staff. As a result, staff fully understand and embrace the college’s sustainability mission. For example, the college’s Senior Vice Principal discovered his own ‘Climate Joy’ in cycling and initiated a successful cycling project, resulting in the creation of new bike facilities at the college and national recognition for promoting cycling.
Funding from Sports England means that qualified staff will be able to lead regular rides from the college and share the joy with people who haven’t cycled for a long time and don’t have a bike.
Partnering with Dyson Energy Services and Westdale Midlands Ltd, Coventry College has developed a green skills insulation technician bootcamp to address skills shortages in energy-efficient retrofit services. The bootcamp, funded through the Strategic Development Fund, offers training in various insulation measures and in giving energy efficiency advice. Learners are recruited from referral networks across the West Midlands. They undergo rigorous training and interviews with around half of bootcamp participants securing permanent employment in retrofit because of the programme.
Attending the insulation bootcamp and then joining Dyson Energy Services has been career changing for me. Being able to help communities very similar to the one I was raised in has such a rewarding feeling – that feeling of making a difference!
North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College has seized the opportunity presented by the emerging hydrogen fuel cell technology. With a grant from the Strategic Development Fund, the college collaborated with hydrogen technology industry leaders in the development of tailored training programmes for local businesses, particularly those in logistics and transport. These include a one-day introduction to hydrogen course, a more comprehensive three-day programme covering operational skills for hydrogen vehicles, and with the support of National Express, an advanced three-day course on hydrogen vehicle systems.
I reached out to National Express and Hydrogen Vehicle Systems as they are industry leaders in research, development, and the operation of hydrogen vehicles. Collaborating closely with employers helps us keep up to speed with the ever-evolving landscape of decarbonising transportation in the UK.
The manufacturing sector in the West Midlands is crucial to the region’s future economic success. With the push for a greener future, manufacturing and engineering companies are evolving towards more sustainable practices and the use of cleaner energy sources. To meet their future training needs, colleges must stay abreast of technological advancements in areas such as battery technology, electrification, and hydrogen power. Collaboration between WMG at the University of Warwick and West Midlands colleges has resulted in the development of a region-wide electrification strategy. The strategy includes the development and roll out of specialised training programmes to upskill over 300 college staff in areas like electro-pneumatics and lithium-ion battery recycling. Colleges are also tapping into the benefits of fellowship schemes connecting further education lecturers with higher education colleagues.
Higher education is often focused on providing solutions to capability challenges faced by industry. But the reality is that further education colleges do, and will continue to, play a much more important role in delivering re-skill and up-skill opportunities to industry. WMG views the support and development of colleges as critical.
The site visit was a great insight on how land contamination is controlled around the work site and Laurence explained how it is measured and managed and what procedures are in place.
In a bid to inspire and engage students in climate justice and Green Skills, Birmingham Metropolitan College signed up for Planet Earth Games, a student competition organised by Pearson and AoC Sport. The games involved students from all subject areas, introducing them to the seven Planet Earth themes. Students undertook projects such as carbon footprint reduction, responsible travel, waste minimisation, and garden creation, with each of the college’s campuses actively involved. The college’s comprehensive submission earned third place nationally and was recognised for its breadth of activities. In addition to learning Green Skills, students enjoyed the camaraderie and practical experiences, leading some to secure volunteer and paid positions at Sutton Park National Nature Reserve. The initiative’s success has spurred ongoing activities like a gardening club, further showcasing students’ commitment to sustainability.
The Planet Earth Games initiatives have helped to raise awareness of environmental sustainability among BMet’s student community and encouraged them to take concrete steps towards supporting the college’s drive towards sustainability.
With inspiration from a Student Leadership for Sustainability event arranged by Fircroft College and led by Students Organising for Sustainability, students from colleges across the West Midlands designed and delivered innovative sustainability projects for their college campuses. The group came together again several months later to showcase their projects to a panel of sustainability experts and to demonstrate how their work had impacted change.
Awards were presented in recognition of the outstanding achievements and exceptional contributions to sustainability. First place went to North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College for their Green Week which was part of their ‘Respect the Environment’ initiative and saw over 3,000 young people engaging in many ways including pledging to adopt more sustainable practices at home and at college. Students also got involved with planting projects, desiging eco-friendly systems for their vocational area, upcycling and becoming more knowledgeable about food miles. Also recognised were students from Dudley College for a joint project to grow and cook food sustainability. Highly Commended was also awarded to Telford College for raising awareness about environmental issues and highlight the college’s actions to improve sustainability.
In its commitment to social and climate justice, Fircroft College offers programmes which engage learners in sustainability and green skills projects, and which empower community groups. The ‘Mother Garden’ programme offers learners hands-on gardening activities to enhance their own growing spaces, promote community cohesion, and spark fresh sustainability initiatives. The programme equips learners with the knowledge and skills of Mother Gardens, enabling them to apply these principles to their community’s green spaces. After completing the programme, participants regularly contribute to community food projects, establish their own Mother Gardens, and collaborate on initiatives such as urban forest communities and nature conservation. For instance, Lorna, a Fircroft Mother Garden learner, shared harvested pumpkins with her mothers’ group and promoted gardening through her seed sharing.
You not only benefit from the fresh air when you’re outdoors, you are also mindful in the pursuit of growing. Socialising with other people who all had the same purpose but came from different backgrounds, was really interesting too.
Dudley College and The Dudley Group Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust work closely together on initiatives to foster and develop the talent of the Trust’s clinical and non-clinical staff. The Trust is also committed to reducing carbon emissions and becoming more sustainable, as set out in their ambitious Green Plan to 2025. Building on the partnership, the college developed a bespoke training programme for the Trust to help the Trust’s staff adopt sustainable practices across their hospitals and community centres. The programme, tailored to diverse roles within the Trust, covers the principles of sustainability, carbon reduction, waste management, and green procurement. Participants work in groups to develop projects addressing sustainability challenges in their specific areas of work, leading to practical solutions implemented across the Trust’s workplaces. The programme was such a success, the college has now rolled it out to its own staff!!
What the group appreciated most was being in a room to talk through ideas together.
Coventry College, in collaboration with Birmingham Enterprise Company, developed a nationally acclaimed ‘sustainability management programme’ designed for managers aiming to transition towards sustainability roles or to advance their organisation’s response to the climate crisis. The eight-week course covers various sustainability aspects, offering online sessions complemented by mentoring. Supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority, the programme aligns with the region’s net zero emissions by 2041 goal. Over 50 participants have benefited to date, with many advancing in their careers. Feedback has led to the launch of a second course, ‘sustainable digital transformation’, focusing on data analysis.
The college is spearheading green skills development with support from industry leaders like BEC. This partnership is creating excellent career opportunities for West Midlands residents in a crucially needed skill area.
