Inspiring London students about green careers, sustainability and STEM

That's exactly what unfolded when Year 7 students from three London schools joined us for a 'Mapping Energy' education day at The Flēot: Green Skills Hub in London.

As a company that’s committed to creating a cleaner energy future, we know how important it is to ensure we have a green skills workforce that is equipped to achieve the energy transition. Put simply, the importance of green skills cannot be overstated: they are critical to powering a greener future.

That’s why, in collaboration with Community Coworking – a social enterprise set up to enable new ways of working and learning – and the Diocese of London, we hosted a full-day of immersive learning for pupils from London-based Chelsea Academy, Ormiston Latimer Academy and Stepney All Saints.

The event was managed by Angela Beanlands, Social Value & Skills Lead at E.ON, in partnership with Rebecca Wyatt from Reed In Partnership, and one of our Degree Apprentices Josh Simms who project managed the event.

The day was designed to:

• Spark students’ interest in green careers and STEM career pathways.
• Introduce students to real-world energy systems, such as heat networks, and how these are helping address the UK’s sustainability challenges.
• Provide equitable access to high-quality learning experiences for students from deprived areas.

An introduction to heat networks

One of the key highlights from the day included an introduction to heat networks which provide heating and cooling to connected buildings through a centralised energy source.

Apostolos Melas from our Citigen team ran a session explaining how Citigen – the largest urban heating and cooling tri-generation plant in London's Square Mile – and other heat networks contribute to the UK’s clean energy ambitions.

He described how Citigen’s energy centre works, and how it connects to nearby buildings including Farrington East (or the Kaleidoscope) which is home to TikTok’s offices, and Farringdon West (the Bloom Building) which houses Snapchat’s offices.

In addition, Ridvald Dhimo from E.ON’s Decarbonisation team – who has recently hosted a work experience student within his team – spoke to students about E.ON’s commitment to a cleaner future.

Apostolos Melas, Sales Manager at our Citigen energy centre, said: “The Mapping Energy event was an incredibly inspiring day for me, as it reminded me why I’m so passionate about working in District Heating Networks. Leading the transition to cleaner energy world is at the heart of what we do at E.ON, and meeting enthusiastic young students was a clear reminder of just how important our work is and why working towards a more sustainable future is so vital for the next generation.

“We know from the feedback we’ve received from everyone who attended that this day delivered on our mission to inspire ideas and propel passions to help achieve a new energy world. And if we managed to motivate at least one student consider a green career, that proves the impact events like these can have in driving the talent of tomorrow.”

Other sessions during the day included:

• A Net Zero Academy workshop
  Facilitated by the training team at our Net Zero Academy, this interactive workshop used games and group activities to explore E.ON’s decarbonisation strategies in a format tailored to 11 to 12-year-olds.
• Sustainability in schools
  This workshop encouraged students to map out potential sustainability interventions for their own schools and communities, blending inspiration with practical action.
• Mapping Energy with Ruth Tatanga
  Ruth Tatanga is a mechanical engineer and supports young engineers to envision and create community-driven solutions. At this session, she shared her personal and professional journey, highlighting her work on the Diocese of London’s Mapping Energy Project.
• Careers carousel
  A rotating panel of E.ON professionals engaged students in small group discussions about careers in energy and engineering. E.ON colleagues from various teams – including Decarbonisation, Heat Zones, Operations & Maintenance, Business Development, Social Value and Digitisation – spoke about their backgrounds, their roles within our company and how their roles impact sustainability and the delivery, support and development of sustainable solutions.

The event received incredibly positive feedback and achieved several key educational outcomes:

• STEM engagement: students gained hands-on exposure to energy systems, sparking interest in engineering and sustainability careers.
• Equity in access: the event prioritised schools with high pupil premium percentages, ensuring inclusive participation for students from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Skills development: activities promoted critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication — key competencies for a successful green, and indeed any, career.

E.ON Degree Apprentice, Joshua Simms, said: “Organising the Mapping Energy event was a brilliant experience. The day was full of energy (pun intended), and it was inspiring to see young people so engaged with the future of sustainable energy. I really hope the event sparked curiosity and gave students a sense of the exciting possibilities in this field.

“As a Degree Apprentice, taking part in events like this is a great way for me to grow beyond my day-to-day role, helping me build confidence, develop professional skills, and connect what I’m learning to real-world impact. More than that, it’s a chance to represent the degree apprenticeship route and show future generations how great it is.”

As part of our commitment to inspiring green futures, we’re taking the feedback from those who attended the day to help shape similar programmes in the future, and we’re planning to expand the programme across even more schools and communities.

By empowering students with green skills and STEM knowledge, we’re not only preparing them for future careers but also fostering a generation of environmentally conscious individuals who can contribute to a sustainable future.

The Mapping Energy Education Day is a shining example of how collaborative efforts can make a significant impact on young minds and the broader community.

Other ways in which we’re helping inspire future talent

There are many ways in which we’re helping young people develop the skills needed to thrive in a greener future, such as our:

• New Energy Academy, a pioneering initiative including free online curriculum-linked resources designed to equip young people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in a green career.
• Enterprise Advisor programme which empowers our colleagues to volunteer their time and expertise to work with schools and colleges to provide students with guidance and support in shaping their career paths.
• Net Zero Training academy team who work with schools and colleges to deliver training focused on future green skills.
• Apprenticeships schemes which support young people to develop the skills and experience that employers are looking for.

For more information about careers at E.ON, visit our careers website.