HSDC welcome guest speakers as part of Green Careers Week

A range of captivating guest speakers visited all three campuses as part of the second Green Careers Week.

Green Careers Week aims to inform and educate young individuals on careers within a range of industries and organisations that positively contribute to preserving or restoring the environment and the planet.

Guest speakers from organisations such as Kingsbridge Estates, Havant Borough Council, Hampshire Countryside Services, the Environmental Agency, and many more visited our students, engaging in informative and interactive discussions.

Students were able to find out more about what each organisation does and how they positively impact the environment alongside learning more about the career paths and job roles available at each organisation.

At HSDC Havant, Liz Brown who works on Portsmouth Water’s Havant Thicket Reservoir Project as an Environment Manager, educated a number of students on the project and detailed how it can take over ten years to reach completion, meaning some current students may work on the project in the future.

Liz added:

“It was really exciting to meet and talk to your students about Portsmouth Water’s Havant Thicket Reservoir Project and my role on the project as Environment Manager.

I enjoyed hearing about your students’ plans and wish them all the best in the future with their studies and career paths.

Going forward, to ensure resilience of water supply and effective water management, the Water Industry in the UK, including Portsmouth Water and other water companies, will have a need for resources that cover environmental sciences, engineering and design, and the natural environment, as well as a vast range of practical, digital and communications skills.”

Lottie Gibson from Hampshire Countryside Services who is often based at Staunton Country Park, spoke with animal care students at HSDC South Downs about careers in the countryside, potential volunteering opportunities, and the work she does within the community. Lottie was able to detail the career paths within her organisation to give the students a good understanding of the routes they could take once they leave college.

At Alton College, Jeremy Sharland, Development Director at Kingsbridge Estates, joined students to discuss sustainability. Jeremy, who is a regular visitor at Alton College and HSDC South Downs said:

“I was pleased to be invited back to Alton College to take part in Green Careers Week. This is a hugely positive initiative that reflects the importance of sustainability in the property industry and is in line with our own commitment at Kingsbridge Estates to making a positive environmental impact.

As always, the students were engaging and prompted a two-way discussion about our work on creating outstanding places for work, life, and leisure in the South, as well as the wide range of green career opportunities available in the property sector.”

Also at Alton College, Alison Matthews and Sarah-Jane Green from the Environment Agency gave students a fantastic overview of the career routes the agency offers alongside a detailed summary of the great work the Environment Agency do.

A huge thank you to everyone who made Green Careers Week a success and we cannot wait for the next one! For more, visit here.