Hundreds of Liverpool school children are to get a taste of the world of work at a giant careers showcase at St George’s Hall in Liverpool.
Changing Horizons on Wednesday 1 May, organised by volunteers from Civil Service Local and Liverpool City Council, connects year 7 and 8 pupils (aged 11-14) with more than 60 local businesses, Civil Service departments, NHS, emergency services, Merseyrail, Armed Forces and other Merseyside employers.
Around 400 young people will get the chance to take part in fun activities that will help them to develop skills and experiences that will be useful in their search for future employment, and challenge stereotypes about occupations and careers.
It will show them how their strengths translate into the world of work from employers in industries ranging from construction and manufacturing through to finance, health, retail, hospitality and the digital sector.
The court room at St George’s Hall will be used by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to host a mock trial, with pupils getting the chance to act out different roles.
Young people, employers and teachers will also be able to make connections through an ‘Opportunity Wall’ where offers for young people will be posted to support their career ambitions and future skills development.
The city is the third place in the north west to host Changing Horizons, after similar events in Oldham and Blackpool, with 98 percent of students who attended previous events finding them useful.
Liverpool City Council’s Chief Education Officer, Heather Duggan, said: “Liverpool has an abundance of exciting career opportunities for our young people and this event will give them a taste of what is achievable and most importantly help them on their journey to get there. Liverpool children are extremely talented, highly resourceful and skilled and are also a fundamental part of the future of our wonderful city.
“Evidence shows that a young person who has four or more encounters with an employer before leaving school is 86% less likely to be unemployed or not in education or training when they leave school, and can earn up to 22% more during their career – so this is exactly the type of initiative that we need to be doing more of.
“Our schools are doing great work in giving our young people the chance to develop their knowledge of the world and their skills, and the Changing Horizons event shows them how that translates into the workplace.”
Alan Murphy from Civil Service Local said: “We continue to work with departments and stakeholders across the Civil Service and communities to create a brighter future for ourselves and our citizens, but with a renewed emphasis on those areas where we provide the greatest added value and most significant change.
“It’s fantastic to see Changing Horizons in Liverpool opening the eyes of young people to a whole range of opportunities available just round the corner from them that they wouldn’t have otherwise known about.”
