LMC host 'Future Skills' careers event for primary pupils

In partnership with West End Morecambe Big Local (WEM), the careers team at Lancaster & Morecambe College recently held a successful 3-day “Future Careers” event for year 6 pupils from West End and Sandylands Primary schools. The event was hosted by LMC’s CEIAG Coordinator, Briony Roberts, and the School & Community Engagement Coordinator, Ash Robinson, who devised a range of aspirational workshops and activities for the pupils to take part in.

Each school took part in 2 days of activities; the team delivered interactive workshops in the school and then pupils came and spent a day at LMC and had the opportunity to explore the college campus and facilities. 
 
Briony particularly enjoyed the challenge of creating a range of resources and sessions which would appeal to younger pupils, as she is used to working with learners in post-16 education.  

We had the pleasure of working with pupils from Sandylands Primary School and West End Primary School over a dynamic three-day careers event designed to spark curiosity, challenge stereotypes, and build essential employability skills. The “Kickstart Your Career: Skills Journey 2025 (and Beyond)” programme offered a vibrant mix of interactive sessions, real-world insights, and creative challenges—all tailored to inspire young learners to explore the world of work with confidence and imagination.  We even involved some Year 5 pupils in the sessions, and they were excited at the prospect of working with the College next year when they progress into Year 6!

Day 1 focused on Breaking Barriers & Building Skills

Session 1: Myth-Busting and Gender Stereotypes: Pupils tackled common misconceptions about careers through thought-provoking true/false activities and explored diverse roles in engineering, trades, and leadership. From skate park engineers to forensic specialists, the message was clear: anyone can pursue their passion, regardless of gender.

Session 2: Employment Skills: Learners ranked key employability skills and applied them to real-life scenarios—from handling complaints to managing unclear instructions. The top skill, as voted by Lancashire employers? Attention to detail—a theme reinforced through a practical instruction-following challenge)

Session 3: Lancashire Career Opportunities: Pupils discovered the breadth of local careers—from fighter jet manufacturing at BAE Systems to green jobs tackling climate change. They explored roles in healthcare, gaming, and sustainability, learning that exciting futures are right on their doorstep.

Day 2 focused on Skills in Action

Session 1: Maths, English & Science in the Real World: This session brought core subjects to life—showing how English supports job applications and interviews, how maths helps with budgeting and baking, and how science powers weather forecasts and engineering. Pupils even built paper airplanes to test scientific principles in action!

Session 2: AI and Digital Footprints: Learners explored the impact of AI on jobs, the importance of digital footprints, and the difference between human and machine decision-making. A fun “Guess the AI image” quiz sparked lively debate and sharpened critical thinking.

The pupils also explored our campus with a guided tour of our facilities and were able to ask questions to gain a real insight into LMC life!

They then completed a workbook as part of the project which they were able to take away with them, so they could reflect on what they had learned.  

Feedback from pupils at the 2 schools was incredibly positive. Not only did they learn about the wealth of employment possibilities on their own doorstep, they had the chance explore careers routes which could take them all over the world.

The paper airplane challenge was awesome. We used science to make it fly better!

We made a TikTok advert about plumbers and welders. It was funny but also showed that girls can do those jobs too.

I liked learning about video game jobs. I didn’t know you could do that in Lancashire!

I liked guessing which pictures were made by AI. It was tricky but fun!

I want to be a nurse when I grow up. I didn’t know there were so many jobs in hospitals.

The event was funded by West End Morecambe (WEM) Big Local, providing the schools with transport and staffing costs for the 2 events. Plans are already in place to offer a similar event to next year’s cohort of Year 6 pupils.