Learning for Sustainability Career Carousel at Balerno High School

On 4th November 2025, ​Balerno High School hosted a Learning for Sustainability Career Carousel, an interactive careers event designed to inspire S3 pupils to explore future pathways linked to sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The event brought together a diverse group of employers and organisations, including Skanska, Scottish Gas, Team Jak Foundation, Historic Environment Scotland, Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), Intergen and Scotland Malawi Partnership. 

These partners represented a broad range of sectors, such as construction, engineering, energy, healthcare and social care, education, heritage, tourism, and the green economy.

Bringing Sustainability Careers to Life
All S3 pupils took part in the event during one class period, attending in their House groups. Pupils worked in small groups of 6–7 and engaged directly with employers from a wide range of sectors. Each group spent around 10 minutes with an employer, asking pre-arranged questions about their role, industry, and how their organisation contributes to the UN Global Goals, before rotating to meet the next visitor.
The event was deliberately scheduled in advance of Scottish Careers Week and Rights Respecting Week, helping pupils make meaningful connections between learning, future career choices, and global citizenship.

Aims of the Event
The Career Carousel aimed to:

• Highlight careers and opportunities linked to sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Support S3 pupils with informed subject and course choices based on future employment interests
• Introduce pupils to green careers and a variety of industry sectors
• Strengthen whole-school Learning for Sustainability

Impact and Outcomes
Feedback from pupils showed the event had a positive impact on their understanding of both sustainability and the world of work. Pupils reported that the event helped them to:

• “Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals”
• “Learn more about how sustainability is affecting jobs and careers”
• “Improve my knowledge of the world of work”

Employer feedback was equally positive:

• 100% of employers said the activity allowed them to connect with a diverse range of young people
• 6 out of 7 employers felt it helped inspire and shape the future workforce
• 5 out of 7 employers said it enabled them to make a difference to the lives of young people, including those facing the biggest challenges
• 100% of employers would recommend this type of activity to other organisations

What Employers Said
Employers praised the organisation and engagement during the event:

• “Brilliant engagement.”
• “Good event, some of the students were really interested and had good questions.”
• “Lovely to meet the pupils and get an idea of what they think of energy.”
• “Enjoyable group engagement. Ideally would have had longer with each group.”
• “Nice venue, well organised. Happy to return!”

Wider Benefits
The Learning for Sustainability Career Carousel helped to:

• Strengthen Balerno High School’s whole-school and community commitment to Learning for Sustainability
• Make global and local sustainability work more relevant by connecting pupils with people driving real change
• Provide inspiring, real-world contexts for learning across the curriculum​

With strong engagement from both pupils and employers, the event demonstrated the value of meaningful employer partnerships in supporting young people to understand their future options and their role in creating a more sustainable world.