Skills Bootcamp Leadership in the Green Economy

Why this matters now 

Businesses are facing increasing pressure to operate more efficiently, reduce costs and respond to changing expectations from customers, supply chains and regulators. 

Much of this change is being driven by the transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon economy, which is influencing how organisations operate, how they compete and how they access funding and new opportunities. 

At the same time, individuals are expected to develop broader skills, take on more responsibility and adapt to changing role requirements, whether entering employment, progressing within their career or sustaining their own business activity. 

The challenge facing organisations and individuals 

Many organisations recognise the need to improve performance and respond to these changes, but lack the time, structure or expertise to do so effectively. 

This can result in inefficiencies, increased costs, missed opportunities and limited access to funding or contracts. 

For individuals, there is often a lack of structured pathways to develop the practical skills needed to progress, take on greater responsibility or strengthen their position within the job market or their own business. 

Where the opportunity sits 

This structured 10-week programme starting this September provides a practical opportunity to improve efficiency, reduce avoidable costs, strengthen competitiveness and respond to sustainability and regulatory expectations in a meaningful way. 

It offers a clear route to developing the capability needed to perform more effectively, make better decisions and adapt to a changing environment. 

A practical, expert-led approach 

Delivered by Keele University in collaboration with industry experts, the programme combines academic expertise with real-world experience. 

It is delivered through a flexible hybrid model, combining in-person and online sessions designed to fit around work and business commitments. 

Participants will work on real organisational or business challenges throughout the programme, ensuring that learning is directly relevant and immediately applicable. 

This provides access to expertise and structured support that many organisations would typically only access through consultancy or specialist training. 

What you will walk away with 

By the end of the programme, participants will: 

• Develop a structured action plan tailored to their organisation or business 

• Identify practical opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs 

• Strengthen their ability to respond to changing market and regulatory expectations 

• Build confidence to take on greater responsibility or leadership activity 

• Gain insight that can be applied immediately within their role, organisation or business 

This ensures the programme delivers practical outcomes that support both performance and progression. 

What the programme offers 

A structured 10-week Skills Bootcamp that supports organisations to improve efficiency, reduce costs and strengthen competitiveness, while enabling individuals to build practical skills, increase capability and support future progression. 

At a glance 

• Fully funded or subsidised places available 

• Delivered by Keele University and industry experts 

• Flexible hybrid delivery designed around work and business commitments 

• Structured 10-week programme 

• Focused on practical application and real-world outcomes 

Starting September 2026

Contact our team today to register your interest:

Email: skills.bootcamps@keele.ac.uk

This programme has been developed in response to direct employer demand and Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) priorities, ensuring it delivers practical, relevant and applied learning aligned to real workforce and business needs.

The challenge organisations and individuals are facing: 

Organisations that are unable to respond to changing expectations around efficiency, performance and sustainability risk falling behind competitors, missing out on funding opportunities and facing increasing operational pressure. 

The ability to understand these changes and respond effectively is becoming a key differentiator, particularly for SMEs operating in competitive and resource-constrained environments. 

At the same time, individuals are expected to take on greater responsibility, contribute more directly to organisational performance and adapt to evolving role requirements. Those who are able to demonstrate practical skills, decision-making capability and awareness of wider business challenges are better positioned to progress. 

This programme has been developed in response to direct employer demand and Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) priorities, ensuring it delivers practical, relevant and applied learning aligned to real workforce and business needs.

Teaching Staff

Tom Bedford: Tom brings over 5 years of experience working in climate and sustainability, delivering specialised courses in place-based decarbonisation and the net zero transition. He has worked directly with a range of organisations, supporting them on their sustainability journeys by creating clear and quantifiable plans to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Alongside this, Tom researches climate psychology and has previously been involved with funded research identifying skills for the green economy. Tom will be your main point of contact throughout the duration of the teaching on this course. 

Dr Rosa M. Fernandez Martin: Rosa is an applied economist specialised in sustainability related topics, including renewable energies economics and policies, food security and food sustainability, education for sustainable development, or corporate social responsibility, among others. She has wide teaching and research experience in Economics, having worked at UNED (Spain), the University of Birmingham and the University of Chester, where she was Programme Leader in Economics and Deputy Head of Department in Social and Political Science. 

Professor Samir Dani: Samir is a Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management with expertise in sustainable supply chain management and the relationship between climate action and SMEs. He has extensive experience teaching supply chain, logistics and operations management across undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA and executive education programmes. Samir brings a strong understanding of how organisations can make practical, strategic changes across supply chains and operations to support sustainability goals. 

Guest Lecturers 

Peter Starr: Pete is the founder of Wayvie and has spent over 15 years helping people communicate, influence and lead more effectively at work. He works with SMEs and larger organisations to help teams make ideas land clearly, turn good intentions into practical action, and build confidence in communication. Pete brings experience in leadership development and coaching and is known for his warm, practical and engaging style. He is a guest lecturer at Keele University, delivering workshops on communication. 

Dr Denise Taylor: Denise is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Wylde Connections and a qualified sustainability practitioner with over 30 years of experience helping organisations embed sustainability into strategy and operations. She leads a multidisciplinary team of sustainability, ESG, training and technical specialists, supporting clients to meet regulatory requirements, strengthen commercial performance and demonstrate credible ESG credentials. Denise is a guest lecturer at Keele University, delivering workshops in sustainable leadership. 

PK Whalen: PK has experience across global learning and development, business development, and climate and sustainability initiatives. She has worked across a wide range of sectors, collaborating with NGOs, non-profits, government bodies and businesses in the UK, EU and US. At Positive Planet, PK is a Senior Environment and Sustainability Course Creator and Trainer, helping to design and deliver training for a wide range of private sector organisations, including construction, the built environment, banking and finance. PK is a guest lecturer at Keele University, delivering workshops on risk and resilience. 

Andrea Wood: Andrea is Head of Training at Positive Planet, where she leads a team of expert trainers designing and delivering workplace sustainability programmes. She has trained over 3,000 people and contributed to more than 1% of the world’s Carbon Literate citizens. Andrea is one of only 11 recognised Carbon Literacy Consultants and has developed over 16 Carbon Literacy Training courses, alongside Climate Action Training, leadership programmes and e-learning for professionals. She has worked with organisations of all sizes across a wide range of sectors, including major household-name corporations, to create engaging and practical sustainability learning experiences. Andrea is a guest lecturer at Keele University, delivering workshops on risk and resilience. 

A practical, expert-led approach 

The programme is delivered by Keele University in collaboration with industry practitioners, combining academic expertise with real-world experience to ensure learning is relevant, applied and practical. 

This structured 10-week programme is delivered through a flexible hybrid model, primarily online, with some in-person sessions. Core online sessions take place weekly, providing consistent engagement while allowing participants to balance work and other commitments. 

How learning is applied in practice 

The programme is built around four core themes that support organisations and individuals to understand change and act effectively: 

• What is changing in the external environment and why it matters 

• How these changes impact how organisations operate and make decisions 

• How to respond effectively and embed change 

• How to apply learning in practice to deliver meaningful outcomes 

Participants will work on real organisational or business challenges throughout, ensuring learning is directly relevant and immediately applicable. 

What you will build during the programme 

Alongside a formal Certificate of Achievement in Skills Leadership for the Green Economy, participants develop practical tools and outputs tailored to their organisation or business, including: 

• Clear opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency 

• Practical approaches to leading organisational change 

• Tools for embedding sustainability into everyday decision-making 

• Strategies for communicating sustainability internally and externally 

• Insight into upcoming policy and regulatory developments 

• A structured organisational action plan ready to implement 

Our expertise 

Keele University was awarded Global Sustainability Institution of the Year 2021 at the International Green Gown Awards, reflecting its commitment to embedding sustainability across research, education and operations. 

The University’s work includes major initiatives such as the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator, HyDeploy and Low Carbon Generation projects, all of which involve collaboration with industry partners to address real-world sustainability and energy challenges. 

The Institute for Sustainable Futures brings together expertise from across disciplines to develop practical solutions, working closely with external partners to integrate research, education and application. 

This programme also draws on research and innovation including Smart Local Energy Systems (Zero Carbon Rugeley), hydrogen blending through HyDeploy and large-scale integrated low-carbon energy systems, ensuring content is grounded in current industry practice. 

Keele’s Skills Bootcamp provision was recognised by Ofsted in 2023 as Outstanding, reflecting the quality of education and outcomes delivered. 

Why this approach works 

This model ensures that learning is not theoretical, but applied directly to real organisational or business challenges. 

Participants benefit from structured support, expert insight and peer collaboration, enabling them to develop practical solutions that can be implemented immediately.

To find out more, you can contact our team today:

Email: skills.bootcamps@keele.ac.uk

Teaching Staff

Tom Bedford (Keele University)

Tom will be your main point of contact throughout this course.  Tom has a BSc in Environment and Sustainability and an MSc in Global Sustainability Solutions. With extensive experience in the net zero transition including delivering key renewable energy projects, supporting local authorities on their net zero transitions and net zero consultancy in the private sector, Tom supports several key organisations in the region, playing a critical role in the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Climate Commission and sitting on the Board of Directors for Chase Community Solar. In recent years, Tom has conducted research on the net zero transition with a focus on place-based decarbonisation, addressing Midlands skills deficits, improving governance for the transition and addressing the twin challenges of climate change and social justice.  

Professor Zoe Robinson

Zoe is a Professor of Sustainability in Higher Education and Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at Keele University. She also held the role of University Director of Education for Sustainability for 10 years with responsibility for embedding sustainability across the curriculum and student experience.

View Prof Robinson's Keele profile

Dr Richard Waller

Richard completed a BSc in Geography at the University of Oxford followed by a PhD at Southampton exploring ice field debris. Seeing the impact of climate change on these environments, Richard has transitioned to work in the net zero space with a focus on net zero technologies in particular transport solutions.  

View Dr Waller's Keele profile

Dr Ellie Harrison

Having graduated with a BSc in Animal Biology and Conservation Ellie started working as an Ecological Consultant, helping a range of protected species in the UK. Since this Ellie has completed a PhD in Environmental Toxicology. Ellie is now a lecturer in Ecology and brings critical insights on the intersection between biodiversity and climate change. 

View Dr Harrison's Keele profile

Matt Dean

Since completing an electrical engineering apprenticeship with Siemens before starting at Keele, Matt has developed extensive hands-on experience in energy systems management. Matt plays a critical role in managing the renewable energy systems and smart energy integration. His expertise helps users understand the practical application of net zero solutions.  

Who this is for and how it’s funded: 

The programme is fully funded for eligible individuals, including those who are unemployed, self-employed or operating as micro businesses. 

For employers, the programme is subsidised through government funding, with a contribution of £340 per participant for SMEs and £1,020 for larger organisations. 

This provides a cost-effective opportunity to access expert-led development and structured support, offering significant value compared to traditional training or consultancy routes. 

Eligibility 

Participants must be aged 19 or over and live or work in Staffordshire. Full eligibility criteria will be confirmed during the application process. 

To find out if you're eligible, you can contact our team today:

Email: skills.bootcamps@keele.ac.uk

Support to help you apply what you learn: 

Participants are supported throughout the programme to ensure they can engage fully and apply their learning effectively in their own context. 

The focus of the programme is on practical application, enabling participants to use their learning to improve performance within their organisation, develop within their current role or strengthen their own business activity. 

This structured support ensures that learning translates into meaningful action, helping participants move forward with greater confidence, clearer direction and improved capability. 

Contact our team today to register your interest:

Email: skills.bootcamps@keele.ac.uk

What employers said about other Bootcamps

"I loved the format of a two-hour taught session each week with the flexibility to do additional study. I also really enjoyed the two face-to-face days on campus at Keele University. I learned so much, and things that related to my personal life as well as business. It has changed my outlook and helped me focus on small changes that make big differences that I’m now imparting on my family and colleagues.

"I am sharing my new knowledge on Carbon Net Zero and Smart Energy options as we work to deliver the pipeline which includes new Rollercoasters, some smaller rides, new and rethemed Indoor immersive attractions, waterparks, hotels, Sealife Centres, to name a few.”

Merlin Entertainment

"The course has really helped me clarify what needs to be done to reach net zero and helped answer some of the challenging questions which we are now being asked as an organisation.  This is particularly important for TMT First in our mission to be industry leaders in sustainability.

"I have put my newfound knowledge to good use to aid in the development of our organisation’s net zero strategy more broadly.  I’ve also gained insight as to how we as a company can reduce our impact going forwards and have a range of ideas which we could take forward to make a difference on our organisational emissions."

TMT First

"The training was detailed without being overwhelming, and helped me build a good base to work on climate related issues moving forward. It was tangible and digestible, whilst also broadening my knowledge. I learnt a lot and now know where to find the right tools and resources to work towards change."

BBC Radio Producer

"The training really helped in my overall understanding in the areas of Smart Energy and Net Zero and gave me more confidence in expressing my views and findings to colleagues at all levels of my organisation."

Johnsons Tiles

"I found it easy to follow your brilliant online sessions and enjoyed the Breakout Room chats / listening to others and what they are doing for their organisations. And found the online Keele Learning Environment so convenient and the knowledge was easily accessible - I was so glad that recordings were uploaded for me to revisit all that knowledge.  I was glad of the 2 days in-person training as well at the University.  It was wonderful to actually see the great energy solutions actually reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases in real time, and in a real working life Environment, so great to hear about other examples actually already implemented and working for whole UK."

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