Mitsubishi Electric has been praised for its ambitious ‘Learning Curve’ programme that aims to teach schoolchildren about the importance of adopting ‘the 3 Rs’ – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Currently, seven Hertfordshire schools have already visited the company’s Hatfield headquarters. The schoolchildren are invited to the company’s Renewable Training Centre for a morning session that is designed specifically to fit seamlessly into the current curriculum.
Recently, the programme was awarded first prize in the Training Excellence category of The National Heat Pump Awards. The judges remarked that the scheme was: “an inspirational, exciting and totally new way to stimulate interest in renewable technology in our future workforce”.
The educational scheme was the brainchild of Office Manager, Jenny Maskrey, who worked together with Mitsubishi Electric to design experiments that would engage and interest children whilst simultaneously contributing to help teach the curriculum.
Maskrey explained: “We want to show pupils the importance of reducing energy use in our everyday lives, re-using things wherever possible and recycling to help reduce carbon emissions and limit the effects of climate change.
“We also wish to challenge the children to think about how society should cope with increased demands for energy use, whilst also seeking to combat climate change.”
Tasks on offer during the Learning Curves day include experiments to explain how photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps work, recycling their drinking cups into bird feeders and a special visit to the company’s wormery, where kitchen waste is recycled.
“We are delighted with the judge’s recognition of how pioneering this programme is,” said Martin Fahey, Sustainable Solutions Manager for the company. “Around 44 percent of total UK carbon emissions come from the buildings we live, work and play in, so we feel it is essential that we look for ways to increase awareness of how everyone can play their part in reducing our impact on the environment.”
The Renewable Training Centre was opened by Mitsubishi Electric in 2011 to cater for the growing number of industry professionals looking to gain skills in the renewable energy sector.
The success of the educational scheme has inspired the company to extend the programme to other parts of the country. Mitsubishi is also looking at developing another programme aimed at secondary school pupils.
Mitsubishi Electric opened its new Renewable Training Centre in 2011, to cater for the growing number of industry professionals that are interested in acquiring the skills needed to serve the renewable energy sector.
The company is now looking to extend the programme to other parts of the country and is also looking to develop a programme aimed at secondary schools.
