NWSLC Shortlisted for 2 National Sustainability Awards

North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) has been shortlisted for two prestigious national awards for its success at helping students to expand their green knowledge and skills.

The College has been named a finalist in the Next Generation Learning and Skills category of the UK and Ireland Green Gown Awards which recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives from universities, colleges and post-16 institutions.

It has also made it through to the final six entrants in the running for the Education Award at the National Sustainability Awards competition which celebrates organisations that are helping to build a more sustainable and better future.

Judges at both competitions have shortlisted the College for developing a project called Power Up Your Potential which gives students the opportunities to achieve certificates that recognise the wider skills development they have undertaken at NWSLC, beyond their courses. 

Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive at NWSLC, said:

“Power Up Your Potential consists of five skills areas, including Citizenship and Sustainability, and has been developed with business leaders to ensure its sustainability-related activities lead students to develop sustainability skills needed by industry. 

“We’ve given our staff extra training to further strengthen their excellent sustainability skills knowledge and practices so they can provide additional opportunities to help students to develop sustainability skills beyond their studies.

“To date, more than 700 students have been recognised for demonstrating Power Up Your Potential skills linked to Citizenship and Sustainability and we’re thrilled that the success of the project has been recognised by judges at both the UK and Ireland Green Gown Awards and the National Sustainability Awards.”

Students have participated in a wide range of sustainable activities that have produced environmental benefits for NWSLC and the wider community. This has included volunteering at a community allotment, designing menus for the College’s Glebestreet café that use surplus ingredients from lessons to reduce food waste, running a vintage shop event, creating sustainable products for fundraising events and repurposing crisp packets into insulating blankets for homeless communities.

The businesses involved in Power Up Your Potential have endorsed the project’s awards which include a digital badge that integrates into LinkedIn to help students promote their sustainability skills to employers. 

NWSLC staff have also used the additional training they received for Power Up Your Potential to embed sustainability education, practices and professional standards into courses across all the College’s curriculum areas. 

The winners of the National Sustainability Awards 2026 will be announced at a ceremony at the London Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square on Thursday, October 8.

The UK and Ireland Green Gown Awards winners will be revealed at a ceremony at New Dock Hall in Leeds on Monday, November 16.

NWSLC is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted with the highest accolade of ‘Strong for Skills’ recognising the college’s positive contribution and responsiveness to meeting the local skills need, and ‘Outstanding’ for student Behaviour and Attitudes.