As part of our Careers Within the Curriculum programme, on Friday, pupils explored the world of sustainability during their Humanities lesson through an exciting workshop led by Isla from Veolia – the company responsible for managing Birmingham’s waste.
The session focused on recycling, energy, and how making smarter choices with our rubbish can help protect the planet and open doors to careers in the green sector.

Pupils learned about the Four R’s:

• Reduce – using less.
• Re-use – using items again.
• Recycle – turning old materials into new products.
• Recover – generating energy from waste.

They were amazed to discover that Veolia sends zero waste to landfill. Instead, rubbish is incinerated to produce electricity for 60,000 homes, and the leftover ash is used to build roads. Even more fascinating -plastic waste can be recycled into clothing!
The workshop helped pupils see how everyday waste can be transformed into something useful, whether it is electricity or a new outfit. It was a powerful reminder that small actions, like rinsing packaging or using the correct bin, can make a big difference. It also highlighted the exciting opportunities in green careers – from environmental engineering to sustainable design -showing pupils how they can help shape a cleaner, greener future through the jobs they choose.