Green energy chief inspires audience at Pocklington School’s latest Careers & Business Network event

Pocklington School welcomed former student Nicholas Pollard, Group Chief Executive of Cory Riverside Energy, to its latest Careers & Business Network event recently, where he spoke of his diverse career since leaving the school in 1976.

Nick studied civil engineering at Nottingham University and whilst at Pocklington School won the BBC TV Young Scientist of the Year. He has served as an advisor to the UK Government and his career covers construction, civil engineering, resource management, recycling and energy recovery.

Nick now leads Cory Riverside Energy, one of the UK’s leading resource management, recycling, and energy recovery companies. The company operates the largest ‘energy from waste’ facility in the UK, located on the banks of the River Thames in London. It has a unique river-based infrastructure, transporting London’s waste on its fleet of barges and turning it into reliable, sustainable energy.

At the event, Nick shared with guests how he was inspired to embark upon a career in civil engineering whilst at Pocklington School as he wanted to be involved in a profession that would make a positive difference to the world. He shared with guests his experiences of working in the UK and around the world, and how his belief in personal courage, honesty, trust and the power of teamwork has enabled him, and the organisations he has worked for, to achieve extraordinary things.

Nick said: ‘I believe that transparently connecting business and the professions with teenagers is vitally important. It is essential we inform and encourage them properly to consider their choices – who they want to be, what they want to do, the contribution they will make – we have a responsibility to help them shape their thinking on how they will lead their generation forward to build the world they want to live in and have their children grow up in.’

Sheena McNamee, External Relations Director at Pocklington School, said: ‘Fascinating, funny, moving and inspiring – Nick gave us a compelling account of his career as a civil engineer and the very human side of big business. After the Q & A session he very kindly spent time with Sixth Form students, giving them encouragement to work hard, follow their passions and enjoy the fascinating challenges and experiences a career in engineering can bring.’

The sell-out event was attended by a mix of current and former parents and staff of Pocklington School, Old Pocklingtonians and Sixth Form students and is the fourth such event since the Network was launched at the end of 2017.

The PSF Careers and Business Network is open to everyone in the wider Pocklington School community, including current and former parents, Old Pocklingtonians, current and former staff and supporters. Its aims are to help each other thrive in a highly competitive world and, by working together, to help inspire our students, and each other, for life.