Students at Stephen Longfellow Academy had the fantastic opportunity to attend the Creative Skills Festival on 18 November. Year 9 and Year 10 students who showed an interest in Creative Arts careers were invited and taken along to the event. The aim of the event was to showcase the cultural offer in the city, inspiring young people to consider a creative career in Leeds and beyond.
The event was held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds and was a practical experience where students could participate in a range of activities and meet over 40 organisations, made up of employers, colleges and universities which offered jobs, apprenticeships and courses across the 9 sectors below.
Stephen Longfellow Academy students had a pre visit session with the organisers, who came into the academy on 11 November, so they would be better prepared and ready to engage on the day. Students were also supported to think about questions they could ask exhibitors and which activities they would like to engage in.
On the visit students learned about the wealth of organisations that can help them access creative careers from special effects make up to acting and how to get into them. Organisations that were present included the National Youth Theatre, Leeds City College Creative Arts department, Studio12, Into Film, Screen Yorkshire and many more.
Students engaged positively with the event and learned about Creative Careers. They also gained an understanding about where the subject of Art can take them post 16. Feedback gained from students showed 66% said they found the Creative Skills Fair Very Useful and Useful in helping them think about their futures.33% said they only found certain parts of the fair useful.
Overall, the Creative Skills Fair was a positive experience for all students, and we will attend this yearly event to inspire our students about creative careers.
Mr Gill (Director of Careers)