Daniel Whiteley, BSc (Hons) Physical Geography student, worked closely with Edge Hill’s Sustainability team on a work placement as part of his degree to help create Edge Hill’s in-house carbon calculation and analysis toolkit (C-CAT). Daniel was then offered the role of Corporate Sustainability Intern so he could continue his great work with the team – which has now won Silver at the AUDE Awards 2026.
Daniel’s work on this project has resulted in the creation of a baseline for emissions related to field trips undertaken for student courses and a calculator to allow for departments to calculate their field trip carbon emissions each year. This allows Edge Hill to monitor emissions from field trips and the team can offer support with reduction suggestions in the long-term.
Daniel explained: “I worked on the creation of the Fieldtrip Carbon Emission Calculator, which aims to log details of all fieldtrips being carried out throughout the University. This data helps to calculate the carbon emissions of these trips and begin to look at ways we can reduce the emissions for future years.
“I initially started working for the Sustainability team during my 2nd year, as I needed to undertake a work placement for the requirements of the module. Choosing that module could be one of the best decisions I have ever made and now the work on the C-CAT has contributed to Edge Hill winning the Silver AUDE Sustainability Impact Initiative Award 2026!”
Edge Hill’s Sustainability team are committed to improving the environmental performance of the University for the benefit not just of those currently engaged with the University but also students, staff and other stakeholders who will be part of our wider Edge Hill Community in the future. Creating the C-CAT was a collaborative project aimed at working towards the University’s goal of achieving Net Zero.
Dr Keziah Stott, Head of Sustainability at Edge Hill commented: “Winning this award highlights not only the holistic approach being taken to address sustainability at the University, it also demonstrates how much value there is in providing placement opportunities for students.
“Dan has been heavily involved in this project as part of his second-year placement work and in his current Corporate Sustainability Intern role – this work has resulted in the creation of a baseline for emissions related to field trips undertaken for student courses and a calculator to allow for departments to calculate their field trip carbon emissions each year. Dan’s work has been vital in the project’s success, and without his support it’s not likely to have been shortlisted, let alone win the Silver award.”
Placements are an important part of degrees at Edge Hill, and students are encouraged to take up a placement to put their knowledge and skills into practice. Using Edge Hill’s strong business connections, students on placement gain some incredible experiences that can be used as talking points in future interviews while building their network and getting a unique insight into what the workplace is really like.
Daniel continued: “My placement has been a great experience for me, allowing me to apply the knowledge from my Physical Geography course in an office environment. It has significantly improved my interpersonal skills, as I have had the chance to speak to a variety of stakeholders throughout the university. Alongside this, I’ve developed my knowledge of software I’ll be using in the workplace such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel; plus more specialist software such as ArcGIS and PowerBI. My analytical skills have developed too as I have examined a range of quantitative and qualitative datasets from surveys to draw conclusions and recommend action points for the team.”
Edge Hill works closely with employers across the region and further afield to help students access quality placements where they can have a real impact and see live projects unfolding in the workplace. Throughout their time studying (and up to 3 years after), students can access careers guidance from a dedicated team, to help them find placements and graduate roles in their chosen industry.
Daniel added: “I think the experience will significantly enhance my employability when I graduate. This opportunity has widened my vision to another sector that I had not previously considered for a future career path. With the relevant experience and skills I have developed during this placement, I am in a significantly better position when looking at jobs after I graduate.
“If I was to give advice to future students, it would be to say yes to as many opportunities as possible. There is so much that is offered to you as an Edge Hill student. Whether that is online webinars, paid part-time jobs or volunteering positions, all of them develop your skills for later employment, and you get to meet some great people and have a laugh along the way!”
To find out more about placements and work experience opportunities at Edge Hill, visit ehu.ac.uk/careers
May 13, 2026
