Festival of Industries at Solent University
By Tania Silbernagl, SUN Project Facilitator
On May 13th, we hosted the Festival of Industries at Solent University in partnership with Hampshire Careers Hub. The event brought together students and employers from the transport, maritime and engineering sectors. We were delighted to be joined by Meachers Global Logistics and DP World, who provided valuable insight into careers within their industries and ran engaging and interactive workshops with students from Deer Park School and The Burgate School.
Our Festival of Industries events give young people hands-on experiences with local employers while developing important transferable skills like communication, problem solving and creativity. Furthermore, these events support schools in achieving their Gatsby Benchmark targets and help students gain a better understanding of the opportunities available within their local labour market.
Alongside taking part in the employers’ workshops, the students also explored Solent University. They were taken on a Campus Tour by our Student Ambassadors and gained an insight into a university’s facilities. They also had an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what courses are available to them.
DP World Workshop
We were delighted to be joined by Leanne, Lee, Elli-May and Ella-Louise from DP World, who delivered an exciting logistics challenge.
Working in teams, students took part in a game-based activity where they had to safely and efficiently move containers between ships. As part of the challenge, students had to make strategic decisions and carefully plan routes, while also working more quickly than the other team. This activity encouraged teamwork, and developed the students’ problem-solving and communication skills while also giving them a practical understanding of the logistics sector.
Meachers Global Logistics Workshop
We were pleased to also be joined by Katie, Helen, and Kellyann from Meachers Global Logistics. They ran a creative and engaging workshop that challenged students to think like a marketing team. Students were tasked with designing a social media campaign to promote the company and its work within the logistics sector.
Working in teams, students developed a range of social media content, including infographics, TikTok posts, and one group even acted out a short advertisement clip. The workshop encouraged students to think creatively while developing their communication and presentation skills.
We had a great time hosting both students and employers at Solent University. Events like our Festival of Industries provide an excellent opportunity for young people to connect with local employers, explore future career pathways and develop valuable transferable skills. Here’s what the students thought about the event:
It was really fun and at the same time educational because all the activities were great to do but also informative and entertaining
Student
It was great for the students to interact with the employers directly and hear about their career paths, especially in an industry they don’t hear much about. The activities were also enjoyable and well-organised
Teacher
It was good to see all the industries linked to the career paths I want to do
Student
Tania Silbernagl
SUN Project Facilitator
