University of Northampton partner with South Essex College to offer specialised Wastes Management courses

The University of Northampton is pleased to announce a new partnership with South Essex College to provide specialised further and higher education courses in Wastes Management, designed to prepare local people for high technology jobs at an enterprise park in Thurrock.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Wednesday 2 July which will enable South Essex College to use the resources of the University of Northampton’s Centre for Sustainable Waste Management to teach new modules from September 2014. Those modules will be taught at the college’s new campus in Grays.

The partnership will create a seamless pathway for students from applied science and environmental sustainability programmes at level three, equivalent to A-level, to specialised honours degrees in Wastes Management.

The new courses will be aimed at a broad range of people in Thurrock and the south Essex area, from school leavers to career changers and people already in the waste management industry who are looking to make a step change in their skills.

Nigel Freestone, Head of Environmental Science at the University of Northampton, commented: “The University of Northampton provides wastes management education in different formats including distance learning by utilising state of the art technology. Our key agenda is social enterprise and giving something back to the community.”

Wendy Barnes, Vice Principal at South Essex College, said: “This partnership is an important step for the college to address a significant need for new skills at the Thames Enterprise Park. Thurrock Council, Thames Enterprise Park and the college are absolutely determined that local people should have the first and best opportunity to access the fantastic jobs that will be available at this wonderful new facility.”