Building green skills through apprenticeships that work
Gone are the days when waste management meant only bin men and landfills. The industry is going through a transformation and it’s attracting a new generation of talented young people who are passionate about contributing to a greener future. Just ask Neal Mistry and Freya Griffiths, two rising stars at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK.
Neal, a graduate systems engineer, is using his data skills to optimise waste treatment processes and develop AI-powered solutions for a more efficient and sustainable operations at our energy from waste facilities. Freya is an apprentice at SUEZ’s award-winning Renew Hub in Manchester, the UK’s largest re-use operation. She has been transforming unwanted items into unique and stylish furniture pieces, giving them a new lease on life, effectively preventing them from ending up in landfill and generating social value from the sale of the reclaimed furniture or its use in local community sites.
Both joined the panel at our recent SUEZ webinar, ‘Empowering the next generation of green professionals via apprenticeships’, hosted by Dr. Adam Read MBE, SUEZ’s Chief External Affairs and Sustainability Officer. We also invited SUEZ’s Head of Talent Acquisition and Early Careers Development Claire Townsend and Skillcert (one of SUEZ’s main training providers for apprenticeship programmes) Head of Sales and Account Darren Moore. Our panel shared their insights about the issues of sector attractiveness, on the job training and long-term career aspirations.
Neal joined SUEZ through a two-year graduate scheme, attracted by the company’s commitment to the circular economy. From day one, he had the opportunity to make a real impact. The recruitment process, in fact, gave him a clear view of SUEZ’s work and how he could contribute to the company’s development. In just six months, he’s taken on real projects with support from his team and is really enjoying his job at the coal face of the sector.
After dropping out of university in her second year, and realising she was more hands-on than academic, Freya began volunteering at the hub. With the Renew Hub team’s encouragement, she applied for an apprenticeship and hasn’t look back.
At the hub, people donate items that might otherwise be thrown away. Freya and her team sort through everything, finding treasures to sell on eBay, in shops, or to transform into something new. She’s had the chance to work on all kinds of projects – from restoring furniture to redesigning the entire building. With the freedom to experiment, Freya strips furniture down, fixing it and giving it a fresh, retro-inspired look, allowing her creative skills to come to the fore.
From learners to sustainability leaders
Neal and Freya’s experiences are just two of the many success stories we’ve been seeing with apprentices and graduates (and, of course, interns) at SUEZ. Experts at our webinar couldn’t stress enough the exciting career paths available in the evolving waste and resource management sector. Not only is it important to attract young talent, but developing green skills are a big deal for SUEZ and the whole industry as we look to be ready for the challenges of more circular materials and product management.
Our panel agreed that there’s a real push right now to bring in new talent and help our current teams level up to keep pace with the changes in the sector, from policy and customer demands to new technologies, new materials and new supply chains. There was even a conversation around what ‘green skills’ mean, which is huge in scope and a very complex issue, but one that needs bottoming out if we are to use it as a campaign message or theme going forward.
SUEZ’s senior management team and leading experts have boiled down these green or unique skills into 20 to 30 key areas where these skills are most needed. It’s not just about technology or digital know-how, there’s also a big demand for a huge mix of other skills not usually associated with our sector, like those in green chemistry, behaviour change, strategic planning, policy making and enforcement. There was a consensus amongst the webinar panel that these roles involve a lot of not only problem solving and communication skills but critical, technical know-how, like carbon capture is essential for the successful transition to a low carbon and more resource-efficient sector.
These skills are exemplified by Neal and Freya, who both realised the value of their contributions in the session. Working at the energy-from-waste facilities, Neal designs data models and dashboards that turn complex information into clear insights – work that directly improves operations. He is excited about how SUEZ turns unpredictable waste into valuable resources, from powering homes to creating industrial fuel. Freya believes her work is more than just about creativity, but an important step for her generation to take responsibility for reducing waste and giving old items another chance at a new life. Their passion for the planet, their contribution to making our sector more material efficient and low impact, and their desire to share were evident to all who joined the webinar.
SUEZ currently has over 100 apprentices, many of whom are taking charge of their own learning. We offer hands-on experiences and mentorship where our apprentices can earn while they learn. We are also working with training providers to ensure these programmes stay relevant to the industry’s needs, which are constantly shifting.
Helping to make these apprenticeships more appealing are various incentives like linking the programme to future job opportunities within SUEZ and helping them get a driver’s licence, because we recognise that sector attractiveness is still relatively low and needs addressing. We are working actively with the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) on broader schools and college engagement to reposition waste and resources as desirable sectors, with careers that are opening up, and where a huge range of jobs and skills are needed and will be developed with employers over the next 30 years.
Collaboration is key
But as with all things, there are challenges to overcome. One of the biggest challenges, according to one panellist, is the need for industry-wide collaboration to design new, practical programmes that reflect the real demands of the sector.
One key focus is making entry-level roles as effective as possible, showing people the huge variety of careers available in waste and resource management. Skillcert, for instance, did a programme with SUEZ and partly funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority. The six-week initiative for young people aged 19 to 29 gave participants hands-on experience, employability training and interview opportunities, leading some to secure apprenticeships.
There’s still work to do moving forward. All our guests agreed with the importance of reaching out to and connecting with universities and schools early to reach more young people and help them gain opportunities in the industry. Right now, much of the focus is on leadership and frontline roles, but there’s growing demand for training in areas like product design, packaging and material efficiency.
Freya, given these in-demand areas, is in the right place at the right time. Her design skills – whether she applies it at the re-use hub or in building her own furniture company – are highly relevant and she’s proving that, with a little imagination, what others throw away can become something extraordinary and sustainable. For his part, Neal hopes to lead bigger projects, bring more AI solutions to SUEZ and train others on data tools. His aim is to become an assistant technical plant engineer and undertake more formal qualifications and certifications.
Reflecting on these topics the audience gave us a hint into their thoughts and expectations. On the question of which roles will make sector transition most attractive to younger generations, automation systems engineer (AI/machine learning) and policy innovators and change makers both got 35% each, whilst 12% were interested in behavioural science (i.e. marketing and communications).
So, what were the key takeaways from the webinar? It’s for the industry to join forces instead of competing. Working together leads to better innovation, shapes apprentices’ green skills and inspires them to work towards a more sustainable future. And only by succeeding in attracting talent and keeping it with the right blend of skills training, experience and mentoring can we hope to deliver on our expectations for the sector’s transition and those set by society for a green economy with meaningful jobs for all. Apprentices are at the heart of this transition, and they know it!
If you missed the live webinar session, you can watch it on-demand here.