GreenVET pathway

Reviewing School Subjects through a Sustainability Lense

Whether it’s through chemical processes, energy systems, consumer behavior, design practice, or creative expression, sustainability becomes tangible and relevant across subjects. This equips vocational learners not only with job-ready skills, but also a sense of responsibility and agency as sustainable practitioners in their fields.

Key People and Partners Involved

School management and teaching staff
Students

Description of the practice

Integrating a sustainability perspective across vocational programmes is essential for preparing learners to contribute meaningfully to the green transition. As demonstrated in chemistry education, sustainability can be addressed through topics such as green chemistry, circular economy, and resource efficiency. For example, learners can explore how to reduce industrial waste, substitute hazardous substances with safer alternatives, and analyze the environmental impact of chemical processes. This subject-specific approach fosters not only technical competence but also critical thinking and environmental responsibility.

Beyond the sciences, sustainability is equally relevant in fields such as engineering, mathematics, agriculture, building, design, and social studies. Engineering courses can incorporate renewable energy systems and energy-efficient technologies, while mathematics can be used to model carbon footprints or optimize resource use. In agricultural training, school gardens provide hands-on opportunities to teach ecosystem awareness, food systems, and sustainable cultivation methods. Design and technology programs can emphasize eco-design principles and life cycle thinking, helping learners understand how their choices affect the environment. Meanwhile, communication and media subjects can encourage students to create impactful sustainability campaigns, and social studies can frame environmental issues within discussions of ethics, equity, and civic engagement.

To embed sustainability effectively, VET educators should adopt cross-disciplinary approaches, real-world problem solving, and systems thinking. Curriculum design should integrate sustainability as a central theme, not a peripheral topic, linking theory with practical applications and encouraging learners to collaborate across subject areas. This equips students not only with job-ready skills but also with the mindset and tools to become agents of change in their respective professions – contributing to more resilient, equitable, and sustainable societies.

Where it’s being implemented

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Teaching Chemistry Through a Sustainability Lens: In Finnish VET, students complete 18 hours on chemical phenomena, focusing on properties like toxicity and environmental risks. At Vamia Vocational College, they integrate this with core themes such as energy and Lean principles, using sustainability as a subtheme to highlight safe chemical use and environmental responsibility in vocational contexts.
https://www.train2sustain.eu/how-i-use-sustainability-as-a-theme-when-teaching-chemistry/
At BS 03 in Hamburg, confectionery students partnered with Heckenretter e.V. to restore a wild hedgerow and learn about regional ecological cycles. Over several project days, they combined conservation work with vocational training by harvesting local fruits and transforming them into innovative confectionery products. The project strengthens environmental awareness, practical skills, and appreciation of regional resources.
https://bs03-hamburg.de/nachhaltigkeit-in-aktion-berufsschulklasse-rettet-hecken-und-lernt-regionalen-kreislauf-kennen/

Impact and Results

Integration of green technologies & renewable energy into VET curricula, covering climate change awareness, energy efficiency, and circular economy principles
Service-learning models: Application of engineering skills to real-world, sustainable community projects " boosting motivation, teamwork, and engineering relevance
Shift in chemistry education towards "systems thinking for sustainability," where students analyze chemical processes through life-cycle and environmental lenses
In mathematics, focus on sustainability-oriented modeling, with examples such as carbon emissions and resource use supporting interdisciplinary insight and quantitative reasoning
Boosting environmental awareness, health, and science literacy through garden-based learning in agriculture and horticulture

Implementation Tips and Insights

Start with what’s relevant to the trade. Link sustainability to real-world challenges and practices in each vocation.
Train and support teachers. They need confidence and knowledge to teach sustainability meaningfully.
Embed sustainability in existing learning goals. Avoid adding sustainability as an “extra.” Instead, align it with existing competencies.
Use the school as a living lab. Make your school a model of sustainable practice.
Connect with external partners. Collaborate with local businesses, NGOs, and municipalities.