Helping learners to go higher in industry
Learners increased their knowledge and confidence around specific industries and skills thanks to Go Higher West Yorkshire’s (GHWY) unique programme of ‘Go Higher in… Days.’
Aimed at individuals who statistically have a lower than average level of progression into Higher Education (HE), the bespoke events aligned with key areas of labour market development within the region. This helped to create a pipeline of future prospects for local employers.
GHWY collaborated with its 13 HE providers, Uni Connect schools, and external suppliers on the events. It also worked closely with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), which co-funded four of the events.
When designing the programme of activity for 2024-25, GHWY listened to the needs of its local schools. These highlighted five subject areas that had specific interests for learners, who would benefit from greater interactions with the industries.
The events were:
- Policing: hosted at Leeds Trinity University and run in collaboration with West Yorkshire Police, Year 12 -13 learners benefited from a carousel of activity including case studies and a self-defence class. Read our Go Higher in Policing blog.
- Health & Social Care: hosted at University of Huddersfield, over 70 learners practiced with medical equipment to inspect ear canals and draw ‘blood’ from dummies. Read our Health & Social Care blog.
- STEM (science, technology, maths and engineering): hosted at University of Leeds’ Helix Innovation Hub, participants attended workshops about Building Bridges into Engineering, sustainable fashion, and Extended Reality. Read our STEM blog.
- Digital Media: hosted at Production Park in South Elmsall, Year 12 -13 learners got to explore equipment at the active film studio. Read our digital media blog.
- Business & Professional Services: hosted at University of Leeds’ Nexus, nearly 50 learners engaged in a Q&A with a panel of business leaders and attended a motivational talk. Read our Business & Professional Services blog.
The events received excellent feedback from learners and industry deliverers. Sarah Dirrane, Cosmos Co-Founder and Research Director, who delivered a workshop at the Business & Professional Services event, said: “It was fantastic to see young people engaging with real-world enterprise challenges, gaining insight into different industries, and connecting with professionals. Events like these are invaluable in broadening awareness of career pathways and equipping students with the knowledge and confidence to take their next steps.”
A full evaluation report into the events will be available soon.
Building on the success of this year’s events, a new programme of Go Higher in… Days will run throughout 2025-26.
