71% of East Sussex College Students Believe They Have the Skills for the Future of Work
A new East Sussex College survey reveals students are passionate about developing green skills and want to discover careers that support a more sustainable future.
More than seven in ten (71.4%) students at East Sussex College are confident that the education and training they receive is helping them develop the skills needed for the future of work, according to a new college survey exploring attitudes towards green careers and sustainability.
The survey, completed by 161 students, follows last week’s Green Careers Week (2nd - 7th November).
The findings show that students recognise the importance of sustainability, while highlighting an opportunity to help them understand how green skills connect to their chosen courses and future careers.
Students recognise the importance of sustainability
More than half of respondents (54.3%) said it was important that their future job has a positive impact on the environment. Meanwhile, 45.4% said the environmental impact of a job would influence their decision if salary and other opportunities were equal.
Making a positive difference to the environment was the most commonly selected reason for considering a green career, cited by 29.2% of students. Salary and earning potential also featured strongly, at 21.7%, showing the importance of helping young people understand the range of opportunities available in the green economy.
Students’ own definitions showed what a ‘green career’ means to them. One described a green career as “a career that helps the future”, while another said it could be any job that “actively helps protect the environment and reduce harm to the planet, no matter the industry”.
And careers are very much on the mind of students with more than a third of respondents (35.4%) saying they plan to move into employment after college.
But the awareness of green careers remains a challenge
While 44.7% of respondents said they were familiar with the term before completing the survey, 55.3% had either heard of it without being sure what it meant or were not familiar with it at all.
Almost a quarter (24.2%) identified a lack of knowledge about green careers as the biggest barrier preventing them from considering this career pathway. A further 13.7% said they did not know which careers were available, while 14.3% pointed to a lack of local opportunities.
Half of respondents (50.3%) said green skills would definitely or probably be important in the career or industry they want to work in.
The findings suggest there is an opportunity to make these skills and the career paths they support more visible to young people - especially as sustainability is an increasingly important part of business planning, with organisations looking at how they can reduce their environmental impact, improve efficiency and work towards net zero. The B Corp movement, for example, recognises companies that meet independently verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
As more employers consider their environmental responsibilities and the impact of their operations, understanding sustainability and developing relevant green skills could help young people prepare for a changing jobs market.
Building skills for a greener future
Just last week, East Sussex College teamed up with East Sussex County Council to raise awareness of green careers among secondary school students, with a programme of activities to introduce them to opportunities in the growing green economy.
Year 9 and 10 students from local schools visited the College's Eastbourne campus to explore retrofitting and how traditional trades and new technologies are helping to make homes and buildings more energy efficient.
The programme included interactive sessions in the College's Immersive Suite and practical plumbing workshops, exploring retrofit technologies such as solar energy, sustainable heating and heat pumps.
Students also heard from industry specialists, including Victoria Collins from Kings Rock, who shared insights into green construction, and Oliver Sanders from Carrier UK, who discussed sustainable heating and cooling solutions.
Retrofit brings together skills from several industries, including construction, plumbing and engineering, highlighting how different career pathways can contribute to making homes and buildings more energy efficient. The activities gave younger students an opportunity to see how these skills are used in practice and learn about the jobs supporting the transition to greener buildings.
Cllr Paul Soane, Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability at East Sussex County Council, said: "Retrofit is about much more than improving the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings. It presents a real opportunity to create skilled local jobs, support businesses and open up rewarding career pathways for people across East Sussex.
“By raising awareness of retrofit and green careers, we can help build the workforce needed for the future, support our local economy and ensure residents are able to benefit from the growing demand for skills that will help create warmer, healthier and more sustainable homes."
Rebecca Conroy, CEO and Principal at East Sussex College, said: “The findings of our survey are really encouraging. It’s clear that young people understand that sustainability will shape the world they work in, and they want the skills to be part of that future. Our job now is to turn that awareness into opportunity, helping more young people see the breadth of exciting careers emerging across the green economy.
“Our partnership with East Sussex County Council is a great example of how education and local government can work together to make those opportunities real. By introducing younger students to areas such as retrofit, green construction and sustainable technologies, we can open their eyes to new career pathways and give them a clearer sense of where their skills and ambitions could take them.
“As a college, we have a vital role in making sure our communities and employers have the skills they need for a more sustainable economy. Through our curriculum, industry partnerships and investment in specialist facilities, we are creating clear pathways into the jobs of the future and ensuring our students have the skills, confidence and ambition to make the most of them.”
This commitment also extends to other industries adapting to greener technologies. The College's new Green Automotive Centre of Excellence at Ore Valley in Hastings, funded through the Hastings Town Deal programme, will give automotive students access to modern facilities and training in electric vehicles, hybrid systems and emerging low-emission technologies.
Green Careers Week aims to raise awareness of jobs that contribute to a more sustainable future.
Through its vocational courses, technical training and employer partnerships, East Sussex College helps learners understand the skills needed across different industries and prepare for progression into further study, apprenticeships and employment.