Green Steps Sustainability Training @ La Trobe

Green StepsApplications to join the Green Steps sustainability training program at La Trobe are now open to students from all La Trobe University campuses.  The award winning program allows students to bridge the gap between what they learn in the classroom and the practical skills that are needed to create positive environmental change.

In 2013, La Trobe will accept 15 students from the University to undertake Green Steps training beginning in second semester; successful applicants will be fully funded by the University and will use their skills to help solve real world problems by completing an on-campus project and a 15 day internship.  You can register your interest with us and remember that application will be accepted anytime up until the 11 August, 2013.

 

The Training: What you'll learn?


The Green Steps training component consists of 6 days of group-based learning. Sessions are spread over two long weekends (6 - 8 September (Bendigo Campus) and 20 - 22 September (Melbourne Campus)) and cover five key learning areas. Training is highly interactive and emphasises teamwork and student participation. Our style is informal, engaging, and hands-on and we draw on the experience of the group to facilitate learning.

Green Steps participants are trained by trainers who have worked in professional environmental change positions within companies and organisations. Specialist guest speakers and former Green Steps' participants also share their experiences with participants.

Green Steps training tackles the following:
  • Environmental issues and responses: energy, climate change, waste and water, and organisational responses to these environmental issues;
  • Environmental auditing: an introduction to waste, energy and water auditing, and carbon accounting;
  • Communication for change: effective communication to foster change within organisations, including constructing coherent arguments, presenting environmental data and recommendations, staff engagement and presentation skills;
  • Behavioural change management: understanding your role as a change agent and personal, organisational drivers, behavioural change theory and program design;
  • Project planning and management: problem mapping, strategic prioritisation and action planning for sustainability in an organisation.

On-campus projects

Once training is complete, students will then have the chance to use their new found skills by working on an on-campus project at the University.  This might include conducting waste audits, research into commuting or anything that will provide real world benefit to the environmental sustainability of La Trobe. On-campus projects teach students real world skills and get them to apply these to help change La Trobe into a more sustainable organisations.

Internships

Once the on-campus project is complete, Green Steps @ La Trobe program participants put what they have learnt into practice through an internship with a host organisation. Students seek out host organisations in a field that interests them, though we support and assist you to organise placements and negotiate projects.

Internships are 15 days long, often 3 - 4 days per week over several weeks. Internship projects often provide Green Step participants the chance to quickly bring about change and build the confidence to tackle future projects. In addition, internships create and extend professional networks, while advancing career opportunities - particularly useful for university students looking to enter the environmental sector. Internships must be completed by the end of February 2014.

As an intern, you'll act as an internal change agent in support of an environmental improvement initiative. You'll be supervised and mentored by experienced organisational sustainability practitioners from La Trobe's Office for Sustainability and Student Enrichment Teams.

Once selected participants complete training, a project and their internship they become part of a the Green Steps alumni network - one of the greatest aspects of the Green Steps @ Uni program for many participants, and an ongoing source of support and inspiration.

How to apply?

Green Steps follows a competitive selection process to ensure that successful applicants are from diverse study areas, and are highly motivated, capable and committed to the program. The application process consists of three stages:

  1. Submit a written application as outlined below
  2. Shortlisted applicants will be notified by phone for a face-to-face interview
  3. Following interviews, successful applicants will be notified by phone.

Before applying, please check that you are able to commit to all training dates and the internship requirement, to be completed by the end of February 2014. Attendance at all training days and completing the internship (and an on-campus project if this is involved) is compulsory.

For further questions on eligibility and the application process, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions regarding applications.

The written application

To apply for the Green Steps @ La Trobe program, please email the following to generations@latrobe.edu.au by midnight on the 11th August 2013. You'll need to submit:

A cover letter explaining why you would like to do the program and what you would hope to get out of participating;
Your current Curriculum Vitae; and;
The 1 page task outlined below.

Include these elements in ONE Microsoft Word document, with your name and university as the file name: Firstname_Lastname_Universityname.doc. Please ensure that the entire application document is no larger than 3MB, and that you clearly identify which Green Steps @ Uni program you are applying for in the subject line of the email.

Applications that do not conform to this format or are received after the application deadline will not be accepted.

The task

Imagine you are an employee of a medium sized business, with half of your time allocated to delivering environmental projects. You have approached your manager about an energy saving program you would like to run in your workplace. They have asked you to develop a 1 page project brief outlining what energy savings activities you would undertake for the project in the first 6 months. This should cover as many aspects of the organisation's energy use and resulting greenhouse gas emissions as possible, rather than focusing on one particular activity.

* Please note that we are not looking for extensive details on the project, but rather a 1 page project 'snapshot', and using bullet points is accepted.

 

For any help with your application or to see frequently asked questions on how to apply visit the Green Steps application page.

Apply to Green Steps @ La Trobe!

For any other questions contact the La Trobe Office for Sustainability.