Businesses across the North West are being urged to help inspire the next generation of creative talent by joining a major employability event at MediaCity this June.
On 18 June, Be Broadcast and Working Options in Education will bring together young people from across the region with professionals working in media, marketing, communications, content creation, broadcasting and the wider creative industries for Closing the Creative Class Gap.
The event, taking place at On The 7th, aims to tackle the significant disparity between the number of working-class young people in Britain and their representation within creative careers.
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Research suggests that while around 50% of people in Britain identify as working class, only around 16% of people working in creative industries come from working-class backgrounds. Meanwhile, young people with four or more professional contacts are significantly more likely to secure employment opportunities than those without established networks.
The event has been designed to create those crucial first industry connections.
Students will hear directly from professionals working across the creative sector, including broadcaster Joel Mitchell (BBC North, Radio 1 and Radio 5 Live), comedian Stephen Bailey, Mammy Maguire (Alzheimer’s Society), Josh Wheeler (Be Broadcast), Advita Patel (CommsRebel), Liam Heeley (Heads Creative), Chloe Rainford (Virgin Media O2) and Matthew Powell (Loud Speaker).
Alongside panel discussions and career conversations, students will receive practical advice on navigating creative careers, hear honest stories about successes and setbacks, gain employability skills, have professional CV photographs taken against the iconic MediaCity backdrop, and leave with actionable next steps to support their future ambitions.
A key part of the day will be a live showcase of available opportunities, including jobs, apprenticeships, internships, work experience placements, mentoring schemes and insight days.
Organisers are now calling on businesses and organisations across the creative, media and communications sectors to support the initiative by attending the event and sharing opportunities that can be promoted directly to students.
Josh Wheeler, founder of Be Broadcast, said: “As a kid, I’d never even heard of PR. I was probably the worst-behaved student in my school and certainly didn’t see a route into the industry I work in today. Fast forward a couple of decades and I now run an agency with more than 30 industry awards to its name. That experience has taught me that talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. We have to make sure the ladder into industries like media, PR, marketing and broadcasting isn’t just there, but that it’s visible and that someone is actively pointing young people towards it.”
“The evidence shows that the more professional connections young people make early in life, the more employable they become. I’ve spent parts of my career walking into rooms feeling like I didn’t belong there, and too many young people from working-class backgrounds still feel the same. This event is about changing that. We want students to leave with practical skills, new contacts, honest advice and the confidence to pursue careers they may never have considered before. We’re also calling on businesses and organisations to get involved, share opportunities and help become one of those crucial first connections that can genuinely change a young person’s future.”
Sue Maskrey, CEO, Working Options in Education, added: “As a charity working directly with young people across the UK we know that meaningful encounters with employers can have a transformative impact on their confidence, aspirations and future outcomes. Too often, talented young people are held back because they lack visibility of the opportunities available to them or access to professional networks.
“Closing the Creative Class Gap is about changing that. By connecting students directly with people working in the sector, we’re helping them understand the pathways available, build confidence and take practical steps towards careers they may never have previously considered possible. We would encourage employers from across the creative industries to get involved and help inspire the next generation of talent.
Businesses interested in attending, promoting opportunities or supporting the event, or just looking for more information, are encouraged to contact the Be Broadcast team ahead of the event at [email protected]
Event Details
- Name: Closing the Creative Class Gap
- Date: 18 June
- Time: 11:00am – 1:30pm
- Location: On The 7th, MediaCity
