“I got a lot out of the course and I’m ready to expand my knowledge further”
Dale West
Estates & Sustainability Manager at Ardingly College
Diploma in Business Sustainability Graduate
Can you tell me about your professional background?
I’m the Sustainability Manager at Ardingly College. I recently took over this role; before I was the Maintenance Manager. I’ve been working with the college for 34 years now.
Why did you decide to do a business sustainability course?
When I landed the new role, I was eager to get more familiar with sustainability. I wanted to acquire more knowledge about this topic and gain a better understanding of what we need to do as an organisation to fulfil some of the government’s legislation and how we can make the campus and organisation more sustainable and cost-efficient.Â
Why did you choose the Institute of Sustainability Studies as your educational provider?
I spent a few evenings researching different courses and providers. What I really liked about the Institute of Sustainability Studies programme was that you could do it in your own time and decide how much time you devoted to it each week.Â
Tell me about your learning experience and how you found navigating the course.Â
Everything was really easy to navigate. The resources were great, and getting access to the exclusive Masterclasses was a real help in further understanding some of the modules in the course. This course was packed with valuable information and material. It was also fantastic to be able to go back and revisit previous modules to revise and reflect.Â
What modules and topics did you gravitate towards the most?
I really enjoyed learning about our business model and understanding the financial side of it from a sustainability lens. Other areas, like greenwashing, truly opened my eyes. Understanding recycling processes and lifespans was also very useful.Â
What has been the impact of doing the course on your role and career?
Overall, I got a lot out of the course. It covered all the key areas for me. I now feel I have my foot in the door of the sustainability world, and I’m ready to expand my knowledge further. We’re already implementing a lot of exciting projects at the college, and the learnings I’ve acquired from the course have been instrumental. For example, we’re working on a solar field project, reassessing who we bank with, and ultimately, working to embed sustainability into every part of the organisation.Â
Would you recommend the course to other like-minded professionals?
Definitely! The course has all the information any professional could need to start making sustainability a priority in their organisation. I’ve already recommended it to some of my friends and other connections.
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