100 students took part in a industry experience programme last week from MissionCX at Westlakes Science Park near Whitehaven.
This fourth annual event is part of MissionCX’s social impact pledge to give back to the communities and people of Cumbria and brought together over 20 leading companies, providing students with an invaluable glimpse into future careers.
Students from from Lillyhall’s Energy Coast UTC, near Workington, and Warrington UTC enjoyed five days of activities, including keynote speakers and live project tasks and a careers fair, where students gained knowledge and experience in roles such as engineers, project managers, scientists, welders, and fitters.
Industry experience programmes like MissionCX’s provide a crucial platform for employers to meet, inspire, and educate future employees in early careers, to ensure a future talent pipeline for the county, whilst ensuring young people secure promising futures of their own.
Ben Slater, managing director, and Joanne Slater, operations director of MissionCX, said: “At MissionCX, we are dedicated to fostering the next generation of talent through hands-on experiences. Our commitment to developing future commissioning engineers, managers, and leaders is paramount to maintaining our industry’s world-leading status, both regionally and nationally.
“This event underscores our role as a leader in the field, ensuring we continue to drive innovation and excellence in the nuclear, defence, and energy sectors.
“MissionCX has proudly led, delivered, and evolved this programme for the past four years, continuously enhancing the experience for students and expanding the programme’s reach and impact.”
Tim Ripper, senior operations manager and skills development at BAE Systems – one of the programme’s partners, added: “At BAE Systems, we recognise the importance of working together to help raise awareness of all the career opportunities available to young people.
“Speaking to the students about the opportunities at BAE and the national endeavour that we are part of was incredibly rewarding, and I was really inspired by the level of enthusiasm, engagement, and interest.
“MissionCX have created a really engaging week on career readiness and it’s great to see such a proactive approach from a local company and involvement from across the wider industry. Their efforts in creating these opportunities are vital for the future of our industry, our people, our communities and our nation.”
BAE Systems and Sellafield alone are set to recruit around 1,500 apprentices annually, nearly 25% of the county’s annual school leavers.
Gareth White, learning, development & research centre manager at Sellafield Ltd, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the MissionCX event. The enthusiasm and curiosity displayed by the students were truly inspiring.
“This event not only provides valuable industry insights but also fosters collaboration between companies and educational institutions. It’s a fantastic initiative that Sellafield Ltd is proud to support, as it plays a crucial role in developing the skilled workforce of tomorrow.”
