Students get live events masterclass for Creative Careers Week

The NEC Group has opened its doors to a Solihull school to give students a taste of the live events industry.

Visiting Resorts World Arena on the NEC Campus to celebrate Discover! Creative Careers Week, Alderbrook School experienced the different elements of ‘what makes a live show’, from ticketing at the NEC’s box office, The Ticket Factory, through to rigging at the venue as well as light and sound production.

Creative Careers Week has been designed to give young people a unique insight into the types of jobs that they may have never even heard of across the creative industries, introducing them to the workplaces in which they happen and the people that make them tick.

The school received a welcome talk from director of arenas, Guy Dunstan, before being shown the ins and outs of the group’s box office operation. Culminating in creating the school’s very own live production, students were tasked with creative roles that help piece together the live events jigsaw.

Claire Hawker, senior learning and development consultant at the NEC Group, said: “It’s been a pleasure to show students from Alderbrook School around one of our arenas, so they can get a feel for what makes a show happen. They had a fantastic time putting on their own show – and we certainly had a real array of creative talent on display.

“We hope that we have helped inspire the next generation of creative talent. Whatever path they choose to tread in their careers, we hope that Creative Careers Week has shown what an exciting and diverse industry the live events business can be.”

The visit comes as the NEC Group announces its status as a Cornerstone employer, partnering with The Careers & Enterprise Company. This means the Group is dedicated to working closely with schools and colleges and inspire young people across the area.

Together they will ensure that young people across the region have access to meaningful engagement with employees from departments across the NEC Group and gain the vital work experience they need to help them make informed choices about their futures.

Anna Allen, assistant headteacher from the school, said: “We were thrilled to be invited to the NEC Group as a part of Creative Careers Week. Our students had such an exciting day of activities and it was clear to see how many opportunities there are within the live events business, from ticketing, to arena staff, to sound engineering and production. The trip definitely helped get the creative juices flowing, inspiring the class and getting them thinking about what the future holds for them in their careers.”

The NEC Group has a commitment to young people, offering a range of apprenticeships from cheffing roles at the group’s in-house caterer Amadeus, to employing the first-ever ticketing apprentice at The Ticket Factory.

To find out more, visit https://www.necgroup.co.uk/working-for-us/apprenticeships/