The series of events, delivered in partnership with LCR Careers Hub and funded by the Careers and Enterprise Company, saw pupils from across the Liverpool City Region engage in visits to digital and innovation sites around the KQ Liverpool innovation district and take part in experience of workplace activities with leading industry experts.  Students’ knowledge, skills and behaviours were improved and they were informed about the different types of exciting, pioneering job roles that may be available to them in future.

It culminated in an event for more than 100 Year 7 to 9 pupils at The Spine building, where pupils heard from a panel of experts in a range of innovation industries. Speakers included Charlotte Johns at Elida Beauty, Andrew Borland from the Virtual Engineering Centre, Philippa Glover of Philippa Glover Ltd, Jen Fenner from Defproc Engineering and Phil Anders at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

The pupils were then tasked with creating a new cosmetic product for teenagers and presenting their ideas in a ‘Perfect Pitch’ exercise to a panel of judges including Charlotte Johns, Kate McDermott and Joe Cooke from Lyva Labs, and Clive Burton from the Manufacturing Technology Centre. 

Each team was asked to consider aspects such as the product’s name, advertising slogan, ingredients, target market and its unique selling points. The winning entry was entitled Clean Bean, an edible shampoo for sportspeople devised by a team of pupils from LIPA High School, while pupils from Birkenhead Park School were runners-up with their body acne treatment, LineA.  

Emily Robson, Assistant Chief Executive at KQ Liverpool, said: “There is an abundance of career opportunities in science and technology within our innovation district and it’s vital that we are able to share those opportunities with the wider community, both through the Careers Insight Week and more broadly via our Future Innovators Programme.

“The levels of engagement and the quality of ideas the students brought forward during the week have been nothing short of incredible, reinforcing our belief that by making these innovations more accessible, we can help to give young people a unique chance to understand what is on their doorstep and alter their own future aspirations.

“This was our first Careers Insight Week and, with the support of LCR Careers Hub and Investment Zone funding, we are looking forward to welcoming many more pupils to KQ Liverpool over the coming years.”

Gill Walsh, Strategic Careers Hub Lead at Liverpool City Region Careers Hub, said:

“Collaborating with KQ Liverpool and developing a programme of ‘experience of the workplaces’ around careers in the digital and advanced manufacturing industries has meant that we have been able to engage with more young people and inspire them about the world of work.  

“Partnerships with key organisations like KQ Liverpool are not only vital in bringing employers and young people together but importantly enable us to focus on future growth opportunities linked into the relevant growth sectors for the Liverpool City Region.”