Brighton Businesses Get Green Boost from Student-Led Initiative

The UK's University of Brighton is actively preparing students for the developing green economy with a new module aimed at assisting small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in cutting their carbon emissions. It is just one component of a broader push to address the increasing demand for sustainability and consultancy skills in the work environment.

With increasing green jobs come increased demands for experts with experience in sustainability, data analysis, and carbon management. Students studying business at the university's School of Business and Law are receiving hands-on exposure to these areas by working closely with local firms to address environmental issues.

The new module, which is taught to third-year business students, features carbon accounting and reduction techniques. Rather than being taught through imaginary case studies, the students will learn from actual carbon data on local businesses and utilize the carbon calculator on the Clean Growth Platform to monitor emissions. It has been approved by the UK government, so the students are being taught industry-standard techniques that will benefit their future careers and the planet.

Partnering firms cover all sectors, from construction and food to leisure, education, and health. In working for these companies, students gain experience within a variety of different sectors so that they can apply functional skills from one industry in one market to an industry in another market.

The program intends to provide the students with an edge in competition by exposing them to actual consulting experience. This is particularly important for those students who do not get internship or other forms of traditional work experience. The module helps the students gain further knowledge in consultancy and sustainability and, at the same time, help the business society by enabling businesses to achieve their environmental objectives.

Senior Lecturer and module leader in the School of Business and Law, Dr. Vincent Kane, also highlighted the value of such hands-on experiences in preparing students for their future careers. He appreciated how these projects provide students with something concrete to contribute in addition to their academic credentials. By engaging with real projects, students are perfectly suited to become participants in exciting, fast-paced fields that call not just for technical expertise, but also the capability to create effective solutions for tricky, real-life problems.

The Clean Growth Platform, supported by the university since 2014, has assisted more than 1,000 companies in creating sustainable products and services. It has created hundreds of green jobs and contributed over £2 million towards research and development funding over the last ten years.

Part of this agreement, the University of Brighton is also helping businesses transition to a greener way of running and ensuring it provides its students with required skills to counter the challenges that come with a green economy. Hands-on consulting experience the new module of the university provides as a learning tool is the most suitable means for its students to have required skills to attain sustainability and consultancy service success.

Conclusion:This collaboration between local businesses and the university is not only for students but also for society at large. In supporting SMEs to reduce carbon emissions, the university is playing a role in helping the UK achieve its target of being net-zero in carbon emissions by 2050. With increasing numbers of companies and industries around the world giving highest priority to sustainability, the University of Brighton's innovative model of learning ensures that its graduates would be highly capable of dealing with such matters and contributing heavily to the green economy.