Last Wednesday, 1st July, the Bollabo team headed over to Hillside Primary School in Skelmersdale for their Year 5 and 6 careers day. It was a brilliant morning spent chatting with curious, sharp young minds about what we actually do all day, why we love it, and how a career in software, web design and branding really comes together.
Careers days at primary school are a lovely reminder that the world of work can feel a bit of a mystery when you are ten or eleven. Words like "software", "branding" and "web design" get thrown around, but what do they mean in practice? Our goal for the day was simple: to make it real, relatable and, above all, fun.
We set up our stand and got stuck into it. The pupils came round in small groups, and we talked them through the sort of projects we work on, from building websites and apps to designing logos and shaping the way a business looks and feels to the world. We showed them examples on the laptop, explained how an idea travels from a rough sketch to a finished website, and answered a steady stream of excellent questions along the way.
And there were plenty of questions. The pupils wanted to know everything: how you build a website, whether you need to be good at maths, what the best part of the job is, and how you turn something you enjoy into a job you get paid for. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and more than a few of them left saying they fancied giving it a go themselves one day.
What struck us most was how naturally this generation takes to technology. They already use apps, games and websites every single day, so the leap to imagining themselves as the people who create those things felt genuinely within reach. If we planted even one seed of "I could do that", the morning was well worth it.
"It was a really enjoyable afternoon. The pupils asked us all sorts, whether we actually enjoy our jobs, what qualifications we have, what we do day to day, and how they could end up doing something similar themselves. They were curious and full of questions, which is exactly what you want to see at that age. If even one of them walks away thinking a job in this field could be for them, then it was well worth the trip." Keith, Bollabo
A big thank you to the staff at Hillside Primary School for the warm welcome and for organising such a well run event. Bringing local businesses into the classroom to talk openly about careers is a fantastic way to open young eyes to what is possible, and we were proud to be part of it.
We are always happy to support schools and community events across Skelmersdale and the wider area.