As part of Green Skills Week, students were taught how to design a prototype for a sustainable drainage system by volunteers from the East London Waterworks Park charity

East London Waterworks Park (ELWP), a volunteer-run charity operating across Waltham Forest and Hackney, partnered with Waltham Forest College to facilitate Green Skills Week, which began on 16th June. The initiative gives students “practical, future-facing skills” in sustainability and green technology.

Through a series of daily workshops and expert-led sessions, ELWP collaborated with over 30 students from plumbing, construction, and engineering courses, helping them understand how sustainability is a vital part of real world projects, and how these skills are increasingly important to careers in construction, landscaping and design.

As part of the week of activities, students worked in teams to design a prototype for a sustainable drainage system for their college, incorporating inclusivity and circular economy principles, and considering the environmental impact of their designs. This collaborative project aimed to apply design thinking and green knowledge in a meaningful, hands-on way. The teams presented their ideas on the final day and, to celebrate their creativity and innovation, ELWP awarded prizes across a range of categories, from the most creative to the strongest in sustainability, adding a fun, competitive edge to close out the week.

Jill Nathan, Head of Employability at Waltham Forest College said: “Green skills are important for Waltham Forest College as we are already taking a range of actions to improve the environment. This week has been no exception, seeing students apply their skills to environmental challenges. Green Skills Week has shown just how powerful hands-on learning can be in building confidence in students while equipping them with practical, lifelong green skills to support future employability, and thanks to East London Waterworks Park, making a deeper connection to our local green spaces. We look forward to continuing to work with East London Waterworks Park.”

Rennie Llewellyn, head of plumbing at Waltham Forest College said: “Having sustainability practitioners and volunteers from ELWP come into the college to facilitate collaborative workshops has encouraged the students creatively, creating a space where they can explore out-of-the-box ideas while feeling safe to make mistakes. The great thing about this skills week is that we’re catching the students at the grassroot, early stages of their career, where they’re most creative and their ideas aren’t limited by what they already know. Through doing this project, we’re stretching them a lot, and it’s giving them a challenge that they’re rising to. This is something our students can feel deeply proud to have played a role in creating, something which will have their name stamped on it.”

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