Held at the Unloc Changemaker Studios in the City of Westminster College’s Maida Vale campus, the NetZero for Young People experience day took students through a series of workshops and activities that helped them explore the London NetZero strategy for 2023 and the Green Careers industry.

Students from United Colleges Group (College of North West London and City of Westminster College) were taught about the impact of the current climate crisis and the need for NetZero reforms. They ended the session calculating their own carbon footprints and making individual commitments to play their part in saving the environment.

The session also included two guest speakers who spoke to students about their sustainability-focused businesses, and the skills needed to work in the green industry:

Alan Hunte, Co-founder of Thoth London introduced students to the concept of retrofitting and its benefits on the environment. He also gave students advice on how to navigate the job industry and how they can network effectively.

Evan Davies, Co-founder of Scrapp spoke to students about his journey as a young entrepreneur in the sustainability sector, and the challenges and successes behind running his own recycling app.

Quotes from students:

"I learned many new things such as what net zero actually means, and the causes of major pollution. I also learned how wasting food and fashion contribute significantly to environmental pollution. I learned about the government's efforts to improve sustainability, what different companies are doing to improve the environment, methods to reduce pollution, and what we can do as individuals to better the environment. We also had guest speakers who explained their roles in improving the environment, job opportunities in the sustainability field, how to prepare for interviews, how to prepare CVs, and the skills needed.” - Fatima

“I was able to relate football with science via sustainability, and had the opportunity to ask Alan and Evan many beneficial questions. I want to thank you for the opportunity you gave us yesterday. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much." - Omar

"We had an insightful presentation about Unloc's NetZero for Youth, an organization that supports and empowers young educators to achieve social change, which suggests that we should minimise our carbon footprint in the areas of food and drink, household appliances, fashion, and travel in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Alan Hunte and Evan Davies provided us with even more insightful advice regarding our career prospects. Their shared goal is to increase sustainability by reducing pollution and developing healthier lifestyles. They discussed how their companies are striving to reduce waste that can be recycled and reused again. Evan created the Scrapp app, which teaches us the proper way to recycle, while Alan discussed his innovative AI technology and the jobs availability for young people." - Cassandra

"The trip was amazing, I learned so many things including the impact my own actions played in pollution. I also learnt about actions I can take to help create a sustainable environment for the world in the future." - Beatice