University helping school kids create milestone memories

With events, hospitality and tourism being the third largest employer in the UK, the University of Northampton (UON) is visiting schools to change perceptions and help create memorable events.

Combined, the three sectors contribute £290billion to the UK economy, but Claire Drakeley, UON’s Senior Lecturer in Events Management said few young people think of events, hospitality and tourism as a career path.

She is now working with seven Northants schools to help them organise end of year parties, proms and charity events.

She said there is a huge range of professions within the sector including project management, design, finance, marketing, and catering.

Claire added: “It’s a fascinating subject to study because it is that meeting point between art and science.

“It’s the creativity of coming up with ideas, designing projects and working with creative people, but with the science of being organised, being logical and making decisions and structuring your work, and using a set of skills to create an extraordinary experience.

“And it’s hugely impactful. Events are woven into our society and social experiences; we’ve all attended an event of some kind.

“So not only do events make a huge economic impact, they also have a huge personal and social impact because events are what bring us together.

“Leaving school is one of the major milestones in everyone’s life, so we’re working with schools helping them to create events that they will remember for the rest of their lives while also showcasing the wide range of employment opportunities.”

This month Claire visited Abbeyfield School in Northampton to help students organise their leavers party for sixth formers.

16-year-old Callum Newnham said: “Our head of year picked us to organise the event because she thought we were really creative people.

“I hadn’t thought of a career in events, but this has definitely widened the scope of things I might want to do.”

Pheobe Latimer, also 16, said: “I think it’s just a last hurrah and a good-bye to people you might not necessarily see again, and spending time with people you might not see outside of school.

“I think this has been great, I think it will help us do it properly, rather than just sitting around and having ideas we can start getting everything sorted and actually make it happen.”

Between 11:00 and 14:00 on Tuesday 12 March the UON will be hosting an Events, Tourism and Hospitality Careers Fair which is open to all and currently has 30 employers registered to attend.

Project Party is ran in collaboration with the Schools Engagement (Widening Access) team at UON.  Working with targeted partner schools, Project Party is contributing to meeting the outcomes of the Access and Participation Plan (APP) of working with young people from the most disadvantaged areas of Northamptonshire.

For more information on degrees in Events Management, visit the UON website.