Bridging the gap between education and employment, the Young Chamber Cadets programme works with chosen schools across Wirral and addresses important issues around positive role models, socio-economic aspirations and reaching potential from a young age. The programme aims to highlight the amazing industries we have right here on Wirral. Each school is ‘adopted’ by a local business and matched with demographic and location to the schools in mind.
As part of the programme, all Year 5 groups from each school will have a VIP Business visit to their adopted business where they’ll see behind the scenes and meet staff from all areas of the business who we hope may inspire the children about the ‘World of Work’.
All the children are required to be part of an Enterprise Challenge and apply for a job role for the project team by completing an application form and then invited to interview for a role. Job roles available include Project Manager, Head of Information and Research, Head of Innovation and Design and Senior Marketing and Communications. The children are encouraged to apply for the job they want and that applies to their unique skills. The Challenge encourages the children to work as part of a team, delegate and share responsibility and overcome conflicts that usually arise!
First to have their VIP Behind the Scenes Tour were Year 5 children from Cathcart Primary School who visited St Catherine’s Hospital and Health Centre. The children met with a number of health care professionals and had the opportunity to ask about the many roles available within the NHS. Their Enterprise Challenge was a ‘Dragons Den’ style healthy eating campaign, designing a poster and menu and presenting their ideas to a panel of Dragons.
Children from Holy Spirit Primary School visited Cruise Liverpool for a very special VIP Behind the Scenes visit to the new cruise terminal. The children were welcomed into the terminal by Liverpool Town Cryer Terry Stubbings and asked if anyone wanted to audition as a Town Cryer and lucky Harry was chosen and proved to be a natural. The children had the opportunity to chat to Cruise staff and ask lots of questions about their different jobs in Port operations and the many roles available within the cruise ship sector.
The visit ended with the children being given a walking tour alongside the cruise ship Celebrity Reflection that had docked in port for the day.
Back at school, the children designed a Passenger Mocktail Bar and Visit Wirral Billboard for The Cruise Liverpool building.
Leasowe Primary School are working with B&M Waste Services and visited their site in Bromborough for their VIP Behind the Scenes Tour and Enterprise Challenge. The children had the opportunity to tour the site and find out the different job opportunities available. This group of Year 5 children were given the very topical ‘Plastic Pollution’ Business Challenge and showcased some fantastic ideas around recycling and encouraging young people to think about their use of plastics, change behaviours and what swaps we can do to help our environment.
