Lowestoft students to become energy-saving consultants
04/05/2007
"Successful innovation requires individuals who can be creative, seize the initiative and challenge accepted norms."
On Friday, 4 May 2007, Waveney MP Bob Blizzard will launch the Lowestoft Energy Challenge at the new Sir Christopher Cockerell Centre at Lowestoft College.
From September, local students from Poplars Primary School, The Denes High School and Lowestoft College will set themselves up as environmental energy consultants for their school or college. They will take part in the year-round Lowestoft Energy Challenge, a joint initiative which forms part of both the Make Your Mark: Change Lives campaign and NESTA's new Future Innovators programme.
Lowestoft is part of a regional hub for the renewable energy industry in the East of England and it is expected to be a significant growth area for the local economy. The Lowestoft Energy Challenge will raise awareness amongst young people (the future workforce) of local careers and business opportunities in the renewable energy industry. For example, Orbis Energy, a regeneration project designed to stimulate the development of the offshore renewable energy sector, is expected to open its doors in Lowestoft in 2008.
A coalition of supporters will be created to back the project and contribute their ideas and expertise. Many local businesses and organisations have already lent their support:
- Renewables East
- Waveney District Council
- Adnams plc
- CRED
- Suffolk County Council
- Enterprise Lowestoft CIC
Saskia Kent, Campaign Leader for Make Your Mark in Lowestoft, comments: "This project will put young people in the driving seat, fostering a set of enterprising capabilities and encouraging ideas for environmental change. It will also connect young people to local businesses, community projects and realistic role models and mentors, raising awareness of careers and business opportunities in the local renewables industry."
Jonathan Kestenbaum, CEO of NESTA, commented: "The ability to come up with new ideas for products or services will be vital to today's young people, not least to help combat issues like climate change. Successful innovation requires individuals who can be creative, seize the initiative and challenge accepted norms. Through the Lowestoft Energy Challenge and other projects, NESTA's Future Innovators programme aims to nurture these skills and attributes."
It is intended that project will become a blueprint for schools throughout the country, with teaching packs disseminated throughout national education networks.
Anyone interested in supporting this pilot project with expertise or further resource should contact Saskia Kent on 01508 580977 or at saskia@enterpriseinsight.co.uk.
Press announcement
1pm on Friday, 4 May 2007
Bob Blizzard MP will be joined by representatives and students from Lowestoft College, The Denes High School and the Poplars Primary School at The Sir Christopher Cockerell Centre, Lowestoft College.
NESTA
NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology & the Arts. With endowed funds of over £300 million, our mission is to transform the UK's capacity for innovation. We do this in three main ways: by working to build a more pervasive culture of innovation in this country; by providing innovators with access to early stage capital; and by driving forward research into innovation, with a view to influencing policy.
NESTA Future Innovators
NESTA's Future Innovators Programme aims to develop the skills and attitudes needed by young people for the future economy. We do this by supporting the professionals and institutions that work with young people, to test new approaches and disseminate ideas and resources about 'education for innovation'.
The Make Your Mark campaign
The Make Your Mark campaign is run by Enterprise Insight, a not-for-profit organisation. It is the national campaign to create an enterprise culture in the UK. It aims to inspire young people in their teens and twenties to have ideas and make them happen. The campaign is backed by an unprecedented coalition of businesses, charities, education bodies and government.
It was founded by the four leading UK business membership organisations - the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors. Their Director Generals sit on Enterprise Insight's board. It is also supported by the Department of Trade and Industry and is endorsed by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown.
National organisations working closely with the campaign include:
Arts Council England - Association of Colleges - Black Training and Enterprise Group - Business in the Community - Department for Education and Skills - Enterprise Education Trust - Learning and Skills Council - National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship - National Education Business Partnership Network - National Federation of Enterprise Agencies - Prowess - Quality Improvement Agency - Scottish Executive - South-East England Development Agency (representing Regional Development Agencies) - Department of Trade and Industry - Shell LiveWIRE - Social Enterprise Coalition - Specialist Schools and Academies Trust - The Prince's Trust - UnLtd - Young Enterprise.
Enterprise Campaign Coalition members created the Fuelling Enterprise Culture prospectus, which challenges organisations to raise their game and encourage enterprise in ways that put young people in the driving seat. Anyone interested endorsing the prospectus or adding to the enterprise debate should visit www.starttalkingideas.org/enterpriseculture.
The prospectus has widespread support including from the heads of businesses such as Royal Mail, BT, Dyson, eBay, ask.com, KPMG and Cadbury Schweppes.