Making new energy work in Nottingham: how partnerships create lasting social value
From green skills and future careers to cleaner, more affordable energy, E.ON’s partnership with Nottingham’s colleges, universities and communities show how the energy transition can create lasting local value
Leading the transition to new energy often focuses on technology: solar panels and batteries, city-wide heat networks and smarter systems. All of those matter, but the real test is in making new energy work for everyone by improving people’s everyday life: lower bills, warmer homes; jobs, skills and a stronger economy – and giving communities the confidence to take part.
In Nottingham, E.ON is working with local partners to show how energy projects can do more: connecting young people with future careers, helping to improve homes and buildings, and creating lasting value.
E.ON’s roots in Nottingham run deep, with thousands of colleagues living and working across the city and county. Our work here spans energy infrastructure, customer support, education, sport, community engagement and innovation.
That matters because the energy transition will be delivered locally: city by city, street by street, home by home. Training and education is essential to building the workforce needed to deliver cleaner, more affordable energy.
Building green skills and confidence
Over the last year, E.ON colleagues have given their time and expertise to work with the college in a range of ways – whether that’s giving students practical exposure to renewable technologies, talking about careers, supporting teaching staff or helping the college to think about the skills employers will need in future.
Giving students hands-on experience of renewable technologies, supporting careers events, sharing industry expertise with teaching staff, contributing to curriculum discussions and helping students understand the roles being created by the clean energy transition. That work has been recognised with a Merit grade in Nottingham College’s Corporate Social Responsibility Framework.
The activities behind that recognition show what meaningful partnership looks like, with a shared ambition to help local people to understand and access the opportunities created by the transition to cleaner and smarter energy systems, while helping education and industry to work together in developing the skills needed for the future.
- Hands-on experience of green careers: Eight Nottingham College students visited E.ON Next’s Net Zero Academy in Dudley as part of a skills bootcamp, an introduction to renewable energy with direct exposure to the technologies and skills involved in the energy transition.
- Sharing industry knowledge: E.ON’s own training specialists provided continuing professional development in solar technology to Nottingham College staff, helping industry knowledge flow back into the classroom.
- Shaping the curriculum: E.ON joined Nottingham College’s A Level Industry Advisory Board, bringing an employer perspective to discussions about curriculum development and helping ensure students are developing skills relevant to the future world of work.
- Talking careers with students: E.ON colleagues attended two college careers fairs, speaking directly to students about careers, skills and opportunities within the energy sector.
- Joining the sustainability conversation: E.ON’s Phil McDermott volunteered for Nottingham College’s sustainability podcast, discussing the transition to a greener future and the role businesses and individuals can play.
- Celebrating Nottingham's green community: Phil McDermott also featured in a photography exhibition celebrating people contributing to Nottingham’s green and environmental ambitions – putting a face to some of the work happening across the city.
