Extra MSA and Ahead Partnership
empower local students to
shape the future of EV charging

Extra MSA has welcomed local Year 10 students from Leeds East Academy to its Leeds Skelton Lake services, to take part in an exciting EV challenge designed to give them exclusive insights into the roles and skills needed to meet the UK’s Net Zero targets.

The initiative has been developed alongside social value specialist, Ahead Partnership, and encouraged students to apply their maths and data science skills in an interactive workshop, helping them to understand the opportunities and challenges posed by the UK’s EV transition.

The students also took part in a site tour showcasing Leeds Skelton Lake’s sustainability credentials, from its EV charging facilities to its award-winning living green roof, and the biodiversity and local wildlife in its surrounding active travel pathways.

Volunteers from Extra MSA, Gridserve and Ahead Partnership also challenged the students to design their very own take on the changes they’d implement on the site to accommodate the increasing demand for EV points, helping to drive customer satisfaction and meet demand at Motorway Service Areas (MSAs).

The students pitched their solutions to a panel of industry experts, who provided feedback, including exploring opportunities to implement these initiatives on the site. The experts, volunteers and students will also be reflecting on the rapidly-growing industry and what opportunities the generations to come can unlock to help achieve the country’s green transition.

Through their ongoing collaboration, both Extra MSA and Ahead Partnership aim to create a lasting impact by inspiring the next generation of leaders who will drive innovation and sustainability in the transportation sector. This collaboration underscores the importance of investing in the next generation in securing a greener future.

The two have worked together since 2017, having completed a number of successful projects, including a series of ecology days for primary school students, most recently at Extra’s Cambridge Services, where a group of primary school students took part in a wildlife safari tour of the site to explore its biodiversity.

Michael Grantham, ESG Manager at Extra MSA, said: “Our continued work with Ahead Partnership is crucial in helping us to give young people a say on the future of greener transport. EV charging is becoming increasingly important for our customers and we’re always looking to go the Extra mile to meet their needs, and involving the future generations of road users is a great way to do that in an innovative and engaging way.

“We can’t wait to see the outcomes of this engaging day with the local students, and understand these can help us shape our upcoming work with Ahead Partnership, further encouraging current and future generations to talk about ESG and contribute towards a greener transport future.”

Megan Lipp, Head of Growth at Ahead Partnership, said: “It’s great to see young people engaged with the future of EV charging and to have delivered another insightful programme of activities to prioritise the Net Zero agenda in the communities that Extra MSA serves.

“By encouraging students to share their ideas with industry professionals at a live operational site, we’re not only helping to build their confidence, but also raising awareness of the hugely valuable contribution that their skills and creativity can have on shaping the future of sectors including sustainability, construction and transportation.

“It’s this kind of early, meaningful engagement that can ignite long-term interest in green careers and help create a pipeline of future talent ready to tackle the UK’s biggest environmental challenges.”