Extra MSA teams up with
Ahead Partnership to spark youth
excitement on future of EV charging

Extra MSA recently welcomed 27 Year 9 students from Mount St Mary’s School to its Leeds Skelton Lake services, inviting them to take part in an interactive insights day to engage them around the critical role of EV charging in the transition to Net Zero.

This brand-new programme, designed by ESG specialist Ahead Partnership, allowed students to meet senior representatives from Extra and the wider industry to understand the barriers and opportunities that EV charging presents. They then participated in a design challenge focused on improving the customer experience for EV drivers at Motorway Service Areas (MSAs).

The young participants presented their findings to a panel of industry experts, and were also given the opportunity to network with them to find out more about the career opportunities offered by the sector and the various routes to entry on offer.

Following the session, 93% of students felt confident explaining how the transport industry is innovating to become more environmentally sustainable, compared with just 16% beforehand. 96% of students also said that they understood what was meant by the term ‘net zero’, whereas only 16% had even heard of the term prior to the insights day.

One student said: “I liked learning about the future of EV and how the UK will start to change before 2035. I liked learning about how sectors are managed by different people and how they are always trying to improve.”

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 youth education and engagement to ensure a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

The two have worked together since 2017, having completed a number of successful projects including a series of ecology days for primary school students at the likes of Beaconsfield services. A number of the students’ ideas, including a ‘Bugingham Palace’ bug hotel and a floating duck house have now been implemented at the services.

Tom Dobson, CEO at Extra MSA, said: “Through our work with Ahead Partnership, we are able to meaningfully engage with young people in the communities local to us, helping to inform and inspire them about the many opportunities that our industry presents to them. EV charging and the transition to greener, more sustainable modes of transport are key issues for us as a business, so it was great to engage with potential future leaders in the sector about how we can work to meet ongoing challenges such as meeting grid capacity and improving the customer experience.

“We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Ahead Partnership, as our work together forms a central part of our ESG ambitions, and our commitment to creating sustainable, accessible and welcoming rest stops for all to enjoy.”

Megan Lipp, Head of Growth at Ahead Partnership, said: “This programme is a fantastic opportunity to bring young people into the conversation around sustainable transportation. We believe that engaging with young people around key issues such as the Net Zero agenda and EV charging can not only open them up to the range of opportunities that these sectors offer, but can also allow industry leaders to tap into their creative and innovative ideas.

“The energy and conversation in the room today was fantastic. It’s so important that young people feel as though their ideas can make a tangible impact on real-world issues such as transportation, helping to drive forward sustainable solutions, so a big thank you to all who volunteered and helped to inspire confidence and creativity.”

To find out more about Extra MSA, visit: https://extraservices.co.uk/.