Leading North East Businesses get behind Work Discovery Week

Top organisations from across the North East have given their support to a unique initiative which helps improve the employability of young people in Sunderland.

From 11 – 15 July, the city will host Work Discovery Week for the fourth time, with more than 1000 pupils from 19 schools participating in a range of activities.

And once again the week has been backed by a range of sponsors, whose support allows the year-long Work Discovery Sunderland programme to take place.

Headline sponsors this year include Accenture, Nissan, the University of Sunderland, Sunderland College and Make It Sunderland, with Unipres, the Bridges, Gentoo, North East LEP, Arriva, Calsonic Kansei, Liebherr UK and Northern Print Solutions also sponsoring the event.

Work Discovery Week is also supported by Sunderland City Council, NECC and SAFC, and Paul McEldon, co-chair of Work Discovery Sunderland, said that the event was only possible because of the support of the sponsors.

“Work Discovery Week has become a vital tool in helping young people in Sunderland make career choices, as it gives them access to a range of careers and many of the region’s top companies,” he said.

“Without the financial support of the sponsors – and the time given by many other of the region’s leading businesses – the event couldn’t take place.”

As in previous years, Work Discovery Week will have an extended programme of activities, allowing more young people to be involved in a range of activities before the official launch at the Stadium of Light on 11 July.

From 22 June, pupils will be able to go on a number of visits to key businesses including Calsonic Kansei, Nissan and Liebherr along with taking part in an education sector day on July 6 and a contact centre sector day on July 7.

During Work Discovery Week itself youngsters will be able get involved in a range of activities for the first time, including taking part in a bridge building exercise with a model bridge provided by the Institution of Civil Engineering and Farrans, the company building the New Wear Crossing.

The week of events will begin with a range of activities at the Stadium of Light including a careers fair, a range of hands on workshops, what to wear for work fashion show and a special dance performance.