Students gain experience from SWM

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Students on Petroc’s Foundation degree course in Environment Management recently visited SWM’s state-of-the-art Waste Recycling Transfer Station in South Molton as part of their studies. SWM guided the students, kitted up with hard hats and safety goggles, around the site, where it sorts waste collected from commercial customers for recycling. The students examined SWM’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), installed as part of a £1 million investment, which enables it to sort and segregate both co-mingled material and source-separated waste. Petroc course leader Annemarie O’Brien, said: “The main thrust of the course is to prepare people for the role of ‘environmental manager’,

this involves working for a wide range of different businesses – from global companies to small construction companies or housing agencies. This is a relatively new career, that did not exist five years or so ago, and there is a shortage of people with the required skills and experience. SWM is an important partner, as they are part of the rapidly expanding sector of the economy – waste management – that our students will be able to work in. During the course, students will work on ‘live’ projects offering a mutually beneficial service for local companies. They will be able to carry out research, audits and surveys to help with the companies environmental management. SWM is a company that sees the benefits of such links as well as being a wonderfully inspirational company willing to provide the first taste of working life to students and invest some time into making sure they have a positive experience. Today’s visit was about cementing a good working relationship between the course and SWM. The field visit to the recycling centre provided the students with a view of the issues involved in the actual recycling process.” Petroc is currently recruiting students for its next Environmental Management course intake in September. As a leader in recycling SWM is a beacon for assisting business with their environmental responsibilities. SWM's stated aim is to achieve ‘zero waste to landfill’ and, with HMRC now charging businesses £84.40 per tonne tax on waste they send to landfill, it offers companies a free no-obligation health check to help them identify ways to reduce their waste management costs.

Pictured: Rex Bassett, left, SWM sales consultant, Paul Rogers, Petroc lecturer: Wayne Richardson, student: Nicola Corrigan, Petroc lecturer: students Pedro Artaza, Callum Whiteford, Zak Beer and Marcus Dumont: and Reg Pearce, SWM environmental health and safety manager.