SUN Festival of Industries Event at Arts University Bournemouth
By Beth Hartless, SUN Project Co-ordinator
The SUN Festival of Industries provides students with the opportunity to gain a hands-on, interactive experience with local employers for the day. Employers task the students with a practical brief, reflecting the work within their businesses and the opportunities available to young people. On the 11th December, in partnership with Dorset Careers Hub, we welcomed Year 9 students from The Bourne Academy and Magna Academy to Arts University Bournemouth (AUB). As AUB is the number two art and design specialist university in the UK, the event brought in local employers from the creative industries.
Top Cat Media
Top Cat Media has grown, to become one of the fastest growing agencies on the South Coast. Recently voted as one of the South’s best agencies via the Digital Agency Network, growth has been fuelled by the addition of new clients, and a team with a wide range and depth of experience.
Top Cat Media tasked students with creating their own Media and Marketing company. Students worked together to name their company, design a logo, and present their ideas to the group on what their company was, and how they would market this.
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse provides an exciting year-round programme of nationally acclaimed, high quality and diverse arts and entertainment from national, international, and regional artists, providing our community with opportunities to engage in a broad range of arts activities and experiences. We support artists to develop their work and our community to have opportunities to engage with and participate in the arts.
As one of the largest art centres in the UK, students were tasked with planning either a Street Dance Festival or Pride Event that utilised the Lighthouse and surrounding local area. Students also got to hear from Lighthouse employee Nyah about her creative career journey within the Dorset area.
The Results
Over 95% of students found the workshops enjoyable. The event helped students to improve students’ confidence with the following employability skills: teamwork, listening, problem solving, and presentation skills.
All teachers felt the event was useful in meeting Gatsby Benchmarks 4 (linking curriculum learning to careers), 5 (encounters with employers and employees), and 7 (encounters with further and higher education).
What teachers had to say
A very useful day and great for the students to have the opportunity to complete realistic workplace tasks.
What students had to say
I liked how much I could share the ideas in my head and how to work on a budget.
I enjoyed hearing about people’s personal stories to develop a better understanding of different industries.
I enjoyed the workshops looking at things I wouldn’t usually look at.
Helped me to know what can be possible for my future.
Beth Hartless
SUN Project Co-ordinator
