Motorway services operator Extra MSA is expanding its partnership with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) specialist, Ahead Partnership, and plans to teach students about electric vehicles.
Having worked with Ahead Partnership since 2017, the company said the expansion signals the continuation of some successful projects, as well as the introduction of a new programme focused on engaging secondary school students around the future of electric vehicle (EV) charging.
Last year, Extra MSA - which operates nine motorway service stations in England - hosted 57 primary school students at its Beaconsfield site where they spent the day learning about wildlife, ecology and environmental management, from which the company implemented a number of ideas, including a bug hotel and floating duck house.
This year the programme will expand to include a student ecology day at the company’s Cobham site; plus a day at its Leeds Skelton Lake site for students to learn about EVs, the infrastructure needed to support the transition to EV and the career opportunities available from expert volunteers in the sector.
After receiving a tour of the service station and its amenities, they will take part in a workshop to help them understand the supply and demand of energy for EV charging; following by working in groups to design a solution to address infrastructure challenges, as well as looking at how they can enhance the customer experience.
Their ideas will be presented back and judged by a panel of experts, with a prize awarded to the winning team.
Tom Dobson, chief executive officer at Extra MSA said: “Our work with Ahead Partnership has allowed us to provide young people with the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of a wide range of topics related to our industry. ESG has become increasingly important to us and it is something we are placing great emphasis on going forward, so to be able to offer this experience to even more young people is amazing.
“We are delighted to be expanding our partnership with Ahead Partnership as part of this and look forward to continuing to work with them. We can’t wait to see even more young people increase their awareness of key environmental issues within our sector and build the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.”
Megan Lipp, head of development at Ahead Partnership said: “It is fantastic to see Extra MSA demonstrate their commitment to social value through the expansion of their programme with us. It is vital that we engage young people at an early age and continue to re-engage them with the exciting career options available to them, particularly with green skills becoming increasingly important across many sectors. This programme provides a fantastic opportunity for young people to understand the importance of environmental sustainability and develop key skills for their future careers, helping to create a strong pipeline of talent to ensure future growth.
“After the success of our previous programmes with Extra MSA, we look forward to seeing the expanded programme reach even more young people at different ages and stages in their education, providing them with the opportunity to develop key skills and play their part in creating a more sustainable future.”
Since it was established in Leeds in 2004, Ahead Partnership has brought together over 20,500 business volunteers from across the UK to inspire and empower the next generation and has reached over 600,000 young people.
