Female professionals inspire ambitious teens

A Liverpool secondary school has been challenging stereotypes and promoting careers which are generally perceived as male.

St John Bosco Arts College, an all-girls Catholic secondary school in Croxteth, hosted the ‘Females in Business & Industry – Raising the Aspirations and Self Esteem of Young Women’ event on Thursday 26 March.

The aim of the event was to present positive female role models to the Year 9 students and highlight the different career options available to them and where their qualifications can take them.

Lord Mayor, Cllr Erica Kemp CBE started the day’s proceedings by addressing the year 9 students.

A diverse range of careers were represented on the day, as ambassadors from Merseyside Police, Sefton & Liverpool Women in Business, Willmott Dixon Construction, RAF and the Crown Prosecution Service joined together to speak about their roles and encourage the teenagers to follow their passions.

The day used a ‘speed dating’ format; employers were asked a series of closed questions by students as they tried to guess their profession before the time ran out. At the end of the activity, there was a ‘big reveal’, when each employer introduced themselves and students finally discovered what they do for a living.

Lord Mayor, Cllr Erica Kemp CBE, says: “This is a fantastic event to showcase the diverse career options available to young women.

“It’s so important to inspire our next generation of workers, and show that there are no limitations on talent, whether you’re male or female. All the women in attendance today demonstrate what can be achieved when you aim high and work hard.”

The ‘Females in Business & Industry’ event was organised by Liverpool Compact EBP, an organisation which aims to equip young people with top employability and entrepreneurial skills. It works with primary and secondary schools and over 6000 employers to develop pupils’ understanding of the ‘world of work’.

Debbie Kenrick, Enterprise Manager at Liverpool Compact EBP, says: “We organise events like this so that students can meet wonderful, positive, female role models from a diverse range of careers and allow them to pass on the best possible advice and guidance because it comes from personal experience.

“They share their professional insight and encourage the students to aim high, be the best they can be and not put a ‘ceiling’ on their ambition.”

Full list of speakers

Stephanie Wright, Managing Director, Sefton & Liverpool Women in Business
Pamela Ball, CEO, Knowsley CVS
Dawn Devanna, Police Constable, Merseyside Police
Clare Henney, Assurance Manager, PWC
Irene Lyons, Property Support Officer, Liverpool Housing Trust
Jo Lazarri, District Crown Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service
Merril Cummerson, Tour Guide, SSE Fiddlers Ferry Power Station
Michelle Shipton, Corporal, RAF

Anita Delooze, LGV Driver, DHL Ltd.
Julie Umpleby, Senior Project Surveyor, Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd.
Clare Graves, Quality Manager, Blackhurne House