The project built upon the success of the earlier Stepping Up in Sustainability project ("Stepping Up in Sustainability: South Thames College - Community Engagement on Green Skills and Low-carbon Zones"). The aim was to deepen the relationship the college has with the Furzedown Low Carbon Zone and the Greener Jobs Alliance and in particular to work with a local school and employer to promote sustainability. This was achieved along with a link up to HE and offering students community based assignments.

The starting point for this project was the Government’s report ‘Enabling the Transition to a Green Economy: Government and business working together’ (2011) in which a transition to a green economy is deemed essential in order to secure a prosperous economy for the future and the role of the FE and skills sector in this. At the same time, from research within the Colleges & University of Leicester Network's (CULN) Sustainable Development Working Group, it was apparent that more needs to be done to help embed sustainability within curriculum.

The main aims of the project were to: develop and deliver a 'training the trainers/mentors' learning package on carbon free and environmental sustainability; develop and deliver a new unit on carbon free and environmental sustainability to sit alongside existing employability training modules; develop information and guidance on training and career and progression routes in carbon free and environmental sustainability industries; and support a cohort of participants to attend training on ‘'Understanding Sustainable Refurbishment'.

This project will develop the capacity of the sector to work in partnership with the Jobcentre Plus (JCP) and Employers to increase the range and availability of Sector Based Work Academies (SBWAs) in Beds & Herts.