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Climate Ambassadors

Funded by the DfE, Climate Ambassadors match volunteer climate experts with education settings.

Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors

Part of Let’s Go Zero, Climate Action Advisors are independent experts who offer free support for schools, colleges, and nurseries across England.

How to choose training courses and providers

Your setting can go a long way towards becoming more sustainable with the skills and resources it already has. At some points, however, you may need a contractor or supplier to help out. This guidance will help you find one.

Why sustainability training

For many staff in education settings, sustainability and climate action are new topics. It’s likely that some training will be needed to help them create goals around mitigating the impacts of climate change and promoting sustainable practices. This guidance looks at how to choose that training.

Sustainability is a rapidly changing and evolving field. In order for staff to keep pace with developments, we recommend that you consider a programme encompassing:

  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Ongoing professional growth, including both formal and informal learning experiences, with a focus on long-term career development.
  • Training: Specific and targeted teaching, aimed at imparting particular skills or knowledge necessary for specific jobs or tasks. Part of CPD.
  • Awareness raising: Developing a better understanding of a particular topic and its impact.

Awareness raising is important to ensure your entire staff, particularly senior leadership and sustainability leads, understand the risks posed by climate change, and the urgency of taking action to mitigate them. See our section on setting the groundwork for resources to increase awareness.


Choosing a training provider

Expertise

Look for trainers with relevant qualifications, certifications, and practical experience in their subject matter:


Commitment to sustainability

Following sustainability best practice is a good sign that a training provider is an expert in this field. For example:


Choosing a course

Consider these criteria to help decide if a course is right for you. Lots of free training is available online, so you won’t always have to pay for it. Where you do, these criteria will help you get the best value for money.

Content

  • Does the content cover the essential topics and skills you’re interested in?
  • Is the content aligned to the latest climate science, and updated regularly to reflect changes in the industry?

Outcomes

  • Does the course have clear learning outcomes and objectives? What will you be able to do once you have completed the course?
  • Does the course offer recognised credits, qualification or certificate upon completion?

Level

  • Who is the course for and what level is it targeted at?
  • Do you have the right level of background knowledge or experience to do it?

Time commitment

  • How long will it take to complete?
  • Can it be managed within your current responsibilities?
  • Do you need additional support to allocate time for it?
  • Are there deadlines?

We appreciate that time is often the most significant obstacle to engaging in training and CPD. We encourage you to prioritise and plan accordingly, and seek assistance from your managers to facilitate this.

Delivery

  • Is the course online or in-person?
  • Is it self-paced or instructor-led?
  • Is the course flexible and accessible? Does it suit the needs of any learners with diverse needs and preferences?

Testimonials

Look at feedback from past participants. If available, check success rates, such as completion rates and post-training outcomes, to assess the impact of the training on learners' careers and professional development.

Accreditation

Formal qualifications should be recognised by industry associations:


Assessment and feedback mechanisms

Assessments should be fair, reliable, and aligned with the learning objectives of the course. There should be opportunities for learners to receive constructive feedback.

Post-training support and resources

See if the provider offers any post-training support to help learners apply their new skills in real-world settings. This may include access to mentoring, coaching, online forums, or job placement assistance.

Where to find training

These are some examples of the types of organisations that offer training in sustainability topics. We have not quality assured the specific courses, but have vetted the reputation of the providers.

Unless specified otherwise, these courses are relevant to all educational settings.

NGOs and not-for-profit organisations


UK government


Trade shows, sector organisations and networks


Educational providers


Sector Member Associations


Unions

  • Speak to your representative or relevant union for more information.

Regional networks


Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are a viable training route for career changers and upskilling staff. New apprenticeships are constantly being developed, and we are likely to see offers focused on sustainability becoming available over the coming years.

Places to start looking for apprenticeships, or find information on funding for them, include: