Article by Charlotte Bonner | Chief Executive of EAUC – The Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges
Across post-16 education and industry, it’s increasingly recognised that early-career voices are essential to accelerating climate action. As the UK advances its green skills agenda and employers seek people who can navigate both technical and sustainability challenges, apprentices have a unique opportunity to shape and strengthen climate-positive practice.
Recent anecdotal feedback from education providers is that they’re seeing a marked increase in apprentices who are thinking about and acting on sustainability in their education and work. This isn’t a surprise – Skills England have been actively embedding relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours into occupational standards using their green framework. Apprentices’ connection with education and industry means they can use what they learn to help improve employers’ practices, and use what they see in the workplace to contextualise their learning.
Early-career professionals also act as powerful connectors between evolving industries and the national push for green jobs. By contributing their lived experience, apprentices can shape more responsive curricula and promote climate literacy that aligns with emerging skills pathways. This benefits not only their own development but also the organisations that support them.
We’re also seeing professional bodies expanding their offer, providing dedicated resources, networks and statuses for early career professionals – recognising the importance of building strong foundations in the current and future workforce.
Practical engagement
To support educators and institutions, EAUC, the leading body for sustainability in the post-16 education sector in the UK and Republic of Ireland, offers a wide range of resources designed to build capacity, confidence and collaboration in sustainability teaching – not just for apprentices but for all learners.
EAUC has long advocated for whole organisation approaches. These encourage institutions to embed sustainability not as an isolated topic but as a system-wide principle that spans leadership, operations and teaching and partnerships. For educators, this means having frameworks and tested tools that can be applied directly to curriculum design, teaching practice and interdisciplinary learning environments. For those supporting apprenticeships, it means having explicit discussions and designing projects that serve employers’ needs whilst also progressing sustainability action.
Top three EAUC resources to get started
Over its 20 year history, EAUC has developed numerous support mechanisms for its members. Below are three open-source flagship resources educators and education leaders can use immediately. These are not exhaustive, but they provide a strong starting point for strengthening climate-related learning and teaching.
- Green Careers Guides
These guides help staff and learners understand how sustainability connects to every profession – not just traditionally “green” occupations.
- Whole organisation‑approaches
EAUC’s FE climate action roadmap, published in partnership with the Association of Colleges, helps institutions map their sustainability maturity, identify opportunities and build structured action plans.
- Research and insights
From studies of current pedagogy to surveys on equity, diversity and inclusion and landmark State of the Sector research, EAUC provides evidence-based insights that can help institutions benchmark their practice and identify where deeper integration of sustainability is needed. This evidence offers a practical foundation for institutions, sector bodies and policymakers to understand where the sector stands, and what’s needed to move from intent to impact.
Opportunities within the Climate Ambassadors programme
EAUC are also proud co-leads of the Climate Ambassadors programme, which provides apprentices, learners and educators with a direct pathway to climate engagement that is outward-facing, collaborative and impactful. The premise is simple – we match trained volunteers to education settings who need support developing and delivering impactful climate action plans. The programme offers regional and national support and a range of templates and resources to Ambassadors and education settings to help them make progress. It’s part of a suite of programmes commissioned by the Department for Education to deliver their ambition for the UK to be leading in sustainability education by 2030.
For apprentices and learners
There are numerous ways to get involved, including volunteering. As a structured, impactful skills-based volunteering and personal development opportunity, participation builds confidence, professional networks and valuable skills. It also provides learners with evidence they can use in their portfolios, assessments and progression routes.
For education providers
Engaging with the Climate Ambassadors programme offers institutions a structured mechanism for both improving their own sustainability practice whilst providing their staff and learners with wider regional and national initiatives and connections, helping them build practical experience and leadership capability.
For employers and professional bodies
Climate Ambassadors offers employers and professional bodies a way to provide demonstrable social value, especially by promoting the volunteering offer to their members and employees. Climate Ambassador supporters are important allies, champions and advocates in our work to support education settings in England and for securing the longevity of the project.
We are delighted to have SocEnv supporting the Climate Ambassadors programme and we are also working with a number of other organisations across professional bodies, education, business and public sector including EngineeringUK, RMets, Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers, education unions, Association of Colleges, the Civil Service and various government departments and National Association for Special Educational Needs for example.
A recent example from Leeds illustrates how invaluable an apprentice, employer and school found engaging with the Climate Ambassadors programme in meeting their own needs. BTG Eddisons are surveyors with a specialism in decarbonisation and are working with the Climate Ambassadors team to support colleagues to train and volunteer as Climate Ambassadors and support education settings.
“It’s been really rewarding to support the school with their climate action plan. If we can help take some of that pressure away while still making meaningful progress on climate action, that feels like a positive use of our time. From joining the scheme, I have a better understanding about the small and low cost/free wins that schools can take to be more sustainable.
Apprentice Building Surveyor and Climate Ambassador, BTG Eddisons
‘The Climate Ambassador programme is brilliant. Our team have found the experience very rewarding and fulfilling, giving us the chance to give back to our communities and learn about the difficulties that our education sector is facing in implementing key aspects of sustainability”’
Head of Sustainability & Decarbonisation, and Climate Ambassador, BTG Eddisons
‘We are passionate about embedding sustainability into every part of school life, to meet national expectations and because we have a responsibility to our pupils and community. Climate Ambassadors has been invaluable in bringing expert support into school and helped us move forward at pace.’
Assistant Principal and Sustainability Lead, Leeds Secondary School
Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford | Climate Ambassadors
A shared call to action
From apprentices to educators and employers, everyone has a role to play in accelerating climate education and action.
The next steps are simple: explore the resources, get involved and start collaborating, just as SocEnv and EAUC do. Visiting the EAUC website is a good place to start.
If you’d like to learn more, contribute examples of practice, or get involved as an ambassador or supporting organisation, the EAUC and Climate Ambassadors teams would love to hear from you. Contact us using [email protected] or connect on LinkedIn.
