University shortlisted for national apprenticeship award
- Date
- 17 January 2025
- Time to read
- 5 minute read
The University of Suffolk has been shortlisted for a national award for its apprenticeship provision.
The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and trade newspaper FE Week announced the shortlist for the 2025 Apprenticeship and Training Awards (ATA), with the University of Suffolk among four providers vying for the ‘Sustainability in Training and Apprenticeships’ category.
The shortlisting comes in recognition of the University’s efforts to embed sustainability principles into its degree apprenticeship programmes.
That work includes embedding sustainability discussions in apprentice tripartite reviews – meetings which discuss apprentices’ progress – with learners encouraged to provide examples of how their work champions sustainable practices in the workplace. Those discussions have included work by apprentices to reduce waste going into landfill, reusing materials and reducing carbon output.
In addition, academic teams are encouraged to incorporate discussions around sustainable practices in their training for apprentices.
Elsewhere, Digital Technology Solution apprentices completed dissertation projects around areas such as utilising data and intelligent systems to reduce waste and optimise resources at the Smart House at Adastral Park, Martlesham, in collaboration with researchers from the University’s Suffolk Sustainability Institute.
Professor Darryl Newport, Director of the Suffolk Sustainability Institute, said: “Embedding sustainable thinking into our apprentices’ learning is an incredibly important part of our teaching, as we prepare learners for industry upon completing their studies. Being shortlisted for this Apprenticeship and Training Award is a real testament to the hard work of colleagues who have helped drive this.
“As a University, we have made great steps forward in cutting back our carbon emissions, reducing waste and promoting greener thinking across all of the University’s activities.”
The University will find out if it has been successful at the national awards gala dinner on Tuesday 11 March in Liverpool.
Since 2009-10, the University has achieved a 93 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions – those caused from the combustion of fuel such as natural gas or university-controlled sources, and indirect emissions from the purchase and consumption of electricity supplied by the grid.
University figures indicate that just over 5 per cent of its waste is sent to landfill, with nearly 95 per cent of waste being recycled.
Additionally, a 130 per cent increase has been reported in species diversity in the University’s wildlife garden, growing from 26 plant species in 2022 to 60 in 2023.
To find out more about apprenticeships at the University of Suffolk, visit the website here.