- The free Green Advantage Skills Bootcamp is open to business leaders, managers and professionals
- It lasts approximately 12 weeks and is designed to fit around a full-time role
- Learners benefit from five specialist workshops and five hours of one-to-one coaching, delivered by Aston University academics and leading business experts.
A short course to help business leaders gain the skills and knowledge they need to understand environmental sustainability is being relaunched by Aston Centre for Growth on 22 May.
The Green Advantage Skills Bootcamp is a 12-week programme to equip businesses with the tools and insights they need to create a clear sustainability roadmap and make a positive impact in their workplace.
Delivered by industry experts and leading academics from Aston University, the course covers a range of topics including understanding the environmental impact of business operations, identifying opportunities for sustainable practices, and creating a sustainability strategy.
Participants will benefit from interactive workshops, one-to-one coaching, and peer learning, helping them to develop practical and effective solutions that will benefit both their businesses and the environment.
The Green Advantage Skills Bootcamp is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority and is designed to be accessible to businesses of all sizes. A mix of online and in-person workshops are available to accommodate participants' needs.
The course has already delivered three highly successful cohorts since October 2022, with participating companies including Mars UK, Handelsbanken, National Grid, Shrewsbury Town Council, Mills & Reeve and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, alongside many successful small businesses from across the West Midlands.
Paula Whitehouse, director of Aston Centre for Growth, said:
“We recognise that many businesses face challenges in implementing sustainable practices, so the Green Advantage Skills Bootcamp is designed to help businesses overcome these obstacles by providing practical tools, expert guidance, and peer learning opportunities.
“Our goal is to empower business leaders to take meaningful action in a way that aligns with the overall vision and strategy of their organisation and contributes to a greener, more sustainable future.”
Rose Gardner, social impact & social enterprise specialist at Make an Impact CIC which was among the first to participate in the course when it launched in October 2022, said:
“Having a chance to discuss and to hear from others was really valuable.
“The workshops were excellent in terms of speakers and content but what I loved most was the peer learning.
“Some of the challenges and solutions shared by peers on the programme really helped to inform my own thinking.
“It is not often that you get 30 people in a room, from such diverse organisations, all keen and committed to improving the sustainability of their organisations.”
Michael Lee, is founder of Go Points and joined the course at the start of 2023 for cohort 2, and said:
“We were able to get very specific and tailored advice on our companies, business models, strategies and implementation methods, and how our company can become more sustainable.”
“It has been brilliant to hear from businesses across the region about how this course has supported them to thrive in the competitive and swiftly developing field of sustainability,” said Christian Byron, programme manager, Green Advantage at Aston Centre for Growth.
“We welcome those who are ready to take their first or next step towards a greener future to join an inspiring environment of like-minded peers, industry experts and Aston University sustainability specialists on this insightful 12-week journey in 2023. A sustainable future starts today!”
Find out more about the course here.
- Notes to Editors
About Aston University
Founded in 1895 and a university since 1966, Aston is a long established university led by its three main beneficiary groups – students, business and the professions, and the West Midlands region and wider society. Located in Birmingham at the heart of a vibrant city, the campus houses all the University’s academic, social and accommodation facilities for our students. Professor Aleks Subic is the Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive.
Aston University is ranked 22nd in the UK in the Guardian University Guide, based on measures including entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality and graduate prospects. The Aston Business School MBA programme was ranked in the top 100 in the world in the Economist MBA 2021 ranking.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Sam Cook, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44)7446 910063 or email: s.cook2@aston.ac.uk
