Overview

Are you ready to take the next step in your career within the sustainability or energy efficiency and retrofit industry? Whether you're looking for a career progression, or new skills to grow your own business, Skills Bootcamps are here to help you succeed.

Designed to give adults aged 19+ the chance to build up sector-specific skills, this five-week Skills Bootcamp in is a great way to fast track your career.

This course is ideal if you are looking to develop practical sustainability skills, understand how sustainability applies to real organisations, and gain a CMI Award in Sustainability Principles for First Line Managers - Level 3 qualification that is valued across sectors. It's a blended programme designed for adults who want to build confidence, capability, and recognised credentials in sustainability-focused management.

Our Skills Bootcamps fill up fast, so don’t miss this chance to fast-track your career.

Costs

Funded by a small or medium-sized employer (SME): £445 per learner
Funded by a large employer: £1,335 per learner.

Start dates, time and location

This Skills Bootcamp will be held at the Derby Road Campus.

Upcoming start date: Tuesday 3 March 2026.

Duration: 5 Weeks

Session times: 9.30am-4pm

What are Skills Bootcamps?

Skills Bootcamps for employed or self-employed individuals are flexible, and career-focused courses designed for adults aged 19 and over. Created in partnership with local employers, these short part-time courses teach you in-demand skills tailored to modern industry.

The best part? Completing a Skills Bootcamp puts you one step closer to career progression.

Why choose Skills Bootcamps?

Part funded training all funded by the Government or the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA)
Designed to address real skills shortages and match industry requirements
Opportunities to progress to a higher-level course, career progression or even grow your own business.

Why should I apply?

Sustainability is no longer a specialist topic - it is a core part of everyday management and decision-making. This course equips you with the knowledge and tools to embed sustainability into operations, lead ethically, and contribute to Net Zero goals in a practical and achievable way.

You will gain:

A recognised CMI Award in Sustainability Principles for First Line Managers - Level 3 qualification
Practical experience through a real-world sustainability project
Awareness of retrofit, energy efficiency, and green technologies
Confidence to contribute to sustainability discussions and initiatives at work

The blended model combines taught sessions, applied workshops, online learning, and tutor support - making it accessible, supportive, and career-focused.

Who is it aimed at?

Aspiring or current first line managers and supervisors
Individuals transitioning into sustainability-aware roles
Employees wanting to support their organisation’s Net Zero or ESG goals
Those seeking enhanced skills for employment in sustainability and green skills
Anyone looking to build a shared understanding of sustainability across teams or organisations.

Are you an employer?

Skills Bootcamps can benefit your business by offering you the opportunity to upskill your existing staff, recruit new employees, or support your own business, if self-employed.

Contact our employer engagement team to find out more 0800 121 8317.

What will I study?
Learning is structured over 5 weeks, with one taught day per week and supported independent study.
How you will learn
- Interactive workshops and group discussions
- Real-world case studies and practical examples
- Guided project planning and reflection
- Tutor support throughout the programme
By the end of the course, you will have both a recognised CMI Award in Sustainability Principles for First Line Managers - Level 3 qualification and the confidence to apply sustainability thinking in real management and organisational contexts.
You will study four interconnected modules that build from understanding to application:
Introduction to Sustainability (Unit 350)
- What sustainability means in practice
- Environmental, social, and economic sustainability
- Global and UK sustainability challenges
- Key frameworks supporting Net Zero and responsible business.
Implementing Operational Sustainability
- How sustainability applies to everyday operations
- Reducing waste, energy use, and environmental impact
- Engaging teams and embedding sustainable ways of working
- Measuring and reviewing sustainability improvements.
Ethical Management and Leadership for Sustainability
- Ethical decision-making in a sustainability context
- Leadership behaviours that support sustainable change
- Managing competing priorities and stakeholder expectations
- Reflecting on your own leadership and development.
Undertaking a Sustainability Project
- Planning and delivering a practical sustainability project
- Setting aims, objectives, and success measures
- Monitoring outcomes and reflecting on impact
- Applying learning to your workplace or community.
Retrofit Awareness
You will also take part in awareness sessions, designed to provide context rather than technical certification.
These sessions explore:
- Energy efficiency in buildings and housing
- The link between retrofit, sustainability, and Net Zero
- Fuel poverty and social impact
- Quality standards and consumer protection (e.g. PAS 2035, TrustMark).
This helps you understand how building improvements connect to wider organisational and sustainability decisions.
Green Skills Online Modules
You will complete two self-paced online Green Skills modules:
- Mandatory: Understanding Environmental Sustainability
- Plus one module of your choice, such as heat pumps, solar PV, wind energy, decarbonisation, smart home heating, or other low-carbon technologies.
These online modules deepen your understanding of green technologies and support your project work and wider sustainability knowledge.

Entry requirements
This course is only available to individuals funded through an employer or for those who are self-employed. Other courses may be available to those not able to meet this criteria. For further information, please contact our enquiries team on 0808 100 3626.
- Be aged 19 or over (on 31 August 2025).
- Been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years and living within the Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire area.
- Working at a minimum of a Level 2 in English Language and Maths.
- No prior sustainability experience is required.
Please note: If you have any licence conditions stating that you must not have unsupervised contact with under 18’s then your application cannot be processed or accepted due to the course being held on a site where there are students aged under 18. To avoid any disappointment or confusion please do not apply if this is the case.
Progression
On completion, learners will be able to:
- Lead or support sustainability initiatives within their team or organisation
- Make informed, ethical operational decisions with environmental and social impact in mind
- Progress into management, sustainability, or project-based roles
- Build foundations for further study, including progression to CMI Level 5 or the full CMI Level 3 Diploma
- Develop awareness pathways into areas such as retrofit coordination, energy efficiency, and green technologies
Learners will also complete online Green Skills modules, including Understanding Environmental Sustainability and one additional module of their choice, supporting broader employability and sector awareness.
Careers

Disclaimer

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information on the website is correct, some details may be subject to change. West Nottinghamshire College reserves the right to make amendments to the courses, dates, fees or other details, and to make cancellations or changes if numbers are insufficient. In the unfortunate situation that we have to cancel a course we will refund your fees in full, but we regret we are not able to offer any refund if you withdraw from your course or fail to start, and you will be liable to pay any outstanding fees that may be due.