Ellie Forshaw, senior urban designer, and Zoe Nosworth, graduate landscape architect, visited Urmston Grammar School, Manchester, for the start of National Careers Week on Monday, March 6, 2023, and the school’s "Be Inspired” event for Year 7 and 8 students.

Randall Thorp has supported Urmston Grammar School’s career events for many years, including the Y11 ‘World of Work’ Days, careers fairs, talks to students and parents, and providing Y12 students with work placements at our studio in Ancoats.

Dick Longdin, partner, said, "We have a great history with Urmston Grammar School. We’ve always enjoyed supporting their careers service, and the school has sent us some great work experience students, at least one of whom has gone on to study Landscape Design at the University of Sheffield. We have a duty to keep inspiring young people to be the next generation of landscape professionals, and hopefully, come and work with us!

Ellie and Zoe were among the professionals volunteering to answer students’ questions about their jobs at a speed networking event held in the school’s main hall. Students had 6 minutes with each volunteer, to ask them about their business and their job, before moving on to the next.

Zoe said, "The questions were very wide-ranging indeed, and the students were great fun to talk to. Six minutes isn’t much time to explain landscape architecture, but the students quickly understood and were interested to find out more!”

After the speed networking event, Ellie joined a Year 7 geography class in session, to talk about and take questions on urban design. She said, "It was a pleasure to meet the students today and answer their questions about urban design as a profession, while also highlighting examples they had experienced without being aware of the design process which created them. I hope they feel inspired to study geography - it can lead to an excellent range of career options.”

Natasha Kinder, head of sociology & careers, Urmston Grammar School, explained the value of the ‘Be Inspired’ event saying, "Our students benefit from learning about aspects of many different jobs, and develop their self-confidence, listening skills, and interpersonal skills too.”

Mrs Kinder concluded, "Randall Thorp has supported our Careers events for many years - and we’re hugely appreciative of its support, as we can only run events like these with the help of our business volunteers.”