Posted 24 April 2025

Professional services contribute over £11.8bn to the regional economy, with 149,000 people in Yorkshire and Humber employed in the sector. It is therefore important to increase understanding of the sector among young people and to help them develop pathways into the industry. 

This is why Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY), in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), invited a group of Year 12-13 students from four West Yorkshire schools and colleges to attend its ‘Go Higher In Business and Professional Services’ event. 

The day was organised in response to local labour market information that shows young people need to be prepared for and made aware of sector opportunities to ensure a local pipeline of talent into careers as diverse as legal, accounting, architecture, and IT services. 

Practical workshop and talk 

The event, hosted at University of Leeds’ Nexus, was supported and delivered by inspirational industry specialists with support from HE ambassadors. 

Nearly 50 students took part in a practical workshop, talk and Q&A that explored progression pathways, careers in professional services, skills, and experience of the workplace. Activities included: 

• An interactive presentation from Adam Corbally, who was runner up in The Apprentice in 2012. He traced his personal journey, from leaving school at 16 without any qualifications to starting his first business after returning to education, with a focus on the lessons he learned along the way. 

• An Oil Trading Challenge run by the University Centre Leeds, in which students assumed different job roles. This helped them to develop communication and teamwork skills, as well as developing knowledge around risk management. 

• A Q&A with a panel of business leaders, including representatives from construction company Turner & Townsend and education experts Cosmos. This gave students the opportunity to find out more about the value of transferable skills, resilience and decision making, among other topics. 

Increased knowledge and awareness  

Preliminary analysis of learner survey results shows that they are more likely to say they understand what it is like to work in business and professional services industries after attending the event (27.7% pre-event, increasing to 72.3% post-event). 

Learners are also more aware of what skills are needed in the sector after the event (59.6% pre-event, increasing to 91.5% post-event). 

One student said: “The workshops were fun as they gave us a chance to put our teamwork and analytical skills to work. The motivational speakers also gave us some words of encouragement.” 

The event was well also received by employers and academics. Sarah Dirrane, Cosmos Co-Founder and Research Director, 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.” 

Upcoming events  

GHWY and WYCA will deliver two more Go Higher In… events in 2025-26 focusing on the growing industry sectors of digital and healthcare. Guided by Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), they will provide students with high quality and meaningful experiences of the workplace. They will also offer insights into progression pathways, employer interactions, and real-life skills development.