GCSE pupils were given the chance to explore sustainable careers at a green skills fair on Wednesday.

The event (pictured) at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School was supported by local businesses and Islington council, and featured stalls from companies including Love Design Studio, Oktra, and Citi.

Assistant Headteacher David Shemoon said: “This is a great opportunity for the students to meet 20 odd people who work in sustainable jobs so they can understand the routes and how they can develop their green skills.”

Mariam, 15, is a member of the school’s new student-led ‘sustainability team’, and one of Islington’’s youth councillors. “It was a really good event, I learnt a lot of things I didn’t know,” she said, adding: “Being a member of the sustainability team, it was really good seeing some of the work we’ve been trying to do get implemented into the school. It did broaden my horizons on how sustainability can be a part of every career.”

Other pupils said they were less concerned about sustainability issues, and thought the threat of climate change felt distant.

“I definitely consider it, but whenever you hear about it on the news, it’s in like the late 2000s, and you’re like ‘but will I really be here’,” said 15-year-old Jayla.

Nia, also 15, added: “Because it’s been so normalised to release carbon emissions in this day and age, and drive everywhere, I feel like to reach out to a large audience is going to be hard.”

Mr Shemoon said that the school had increased their focus on sustainability since September, including introducing a vegan day to encourage students to think about the environmental impact of what they eat.

“We were having an assembly about sustainability and when we got to announcing the vegan day, there was an audible gasp,” he said. “But afterwards the feedback from the students was really positive.”