Meet Capel Manor College’s New Director of Green Skills
We are pleased to introduce Caroline Turner as Director of Green Skills at Capel Manor College. This is a new position designed to help the College further its offering of courses in green skills, and continue its key role in supporting the government’s green skills agenda.
Find out more below as Caroline shares her career journey and future plans for Capel Manor College’s contribution to closing the UK’s green skills gap:
“I initially trained as a primary school teacher but moved into teaching in Further Education over 20 years ago. I started as an English lecturer teaching A levels, GCSEs, Access and literacy courses and then progressed to management roles within the further education field.
I have managed a number of curriculum areas including GCSEs, A levels, teacher training, animal care, equine, horticulture, foundation learning, and English and maths.
I chose my profession because every day is different. I love working with young people and adults, and seeing what a difference education can make to their lives.
I joined Capel Manor College in 2019 as Head of English and Maths. One of my favourite things about working at the College are the Gardens at our Enfield Campus, and the staff are great – the English and maths team I managed previously are all fantastic!”
Future plans
“I applied for the new role of Director of Green Skills as I previously worked as a Director of Curriculum in a large, further education college and wanted to use what I had learnt from this and apply it to this new position. I am also very interested in green skills and driving the government’s environmental agenda forward.
As Director of Green Skills at Capel Manor College, I will be overseeing agriculture, arboriculture, wildlife and environmental conservation, floristry and event styling, horticulture and landscaping, and garden design.
In my new role, I will be looking at new course development and implementation to address the government’s green skills agenda.
I will develop courses and attract students to study for qualifications in land-based courses, nurturing the green skills needed for the future. Another vital part of my role will be to review and refine the College’s enrolment process, and support the heads of department to work towards outstanding provision in their areas.”
Why are green skills important?
“Green skills are extremely important in today’s job market. We know we all need to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society. Green skills are essential as part of this change and the government is committed to reaching net zero by 2050.
Living and working more sustainably is a priority for every business in the country and managing our green spaces supports the creation of sustainable communities.
Currently, there is an acute skills shortage to enable the country to achieve this target. The courses Capel Manor College offers to the next generation of land-based workers contribute towards achieving this target.”
Why study a land-based course?
“There are so many benefits of studying a land-based course, as they are important for the future of the planet. There are multiple career opportunities at every level as the land-based industries have skills shortages. Additionally, learning and working in an outdoor environment really supports wellbeing and develops environmental awareness and connection to the land.
For those considering a career change, my advice is to make the change! There are so many options and ways to study at Capel Manor College, such as evening and weekend courses so that you can still work whilst re-training. The benefits of a land-based career will give you a more balanced way of life with so many opportunities in the sector.”
If you are interested in working with nature, animals and the environment then studying a land-based course could be the right fit for you. Find out more here.
Are you looking for a new opportunity in your career in education? View Capel Manor College’s latest vacancies.
