100 students took part in an industry experience programme from Mission CX at Westlakes Science Park near Whitehaven.

The students, from Energy Coast UTC in Workington and Warrington UTC, enjoyed a variety of activities, ranging from keynote speeches to live project tasks and a careers fair.

Now in its fourth year, the annual event is an integral part of MissionCX's social impace pledge.

More than 20 leading companies were involved, providing the students with industry insights and potential career opportunities in engineering, project management, science, and welding, among others.

(Image: MissionCX)

Ben Slater, managing director, and Joanne Slater, operations director at MissionCX, explained: "We are dedicated to fostering the next generation of talent through hands-on experiences.

"Our commitment to developing future commissioning engineers, managers, and leaders is paramount to maintaining our industry’s world-leading status."

Furthermore, senior figures in the organisation emphasised their vital role as industry leaders.

"We continue to drive innovation and excellence in the nuclear, defence, and energy sectors," they added.

Not resting on laurels, the programme has evolved significantly over the past four years, winning the Golden Apple Award for Best Industry Engagement last year.

These sentiments were echoed by Tim Ripper, senior operations manager and skills development at BAE Systems.

He said: "Speaking to the students about the opportunities at BAE and the national endeavour that we are part of was incredibly rewarding."

(Image: MissionCX)

In Cumbria, there is a significant demand for future talent, with BAE Systems and Sellafield set to recruit approximately 1,500 apprentices annually.

This alone equates to almost 25 per cent of the county's annual school leavers.

Gareth White, learning, development and research centre manager at Sellafield Ltd, stated: "This event not only provides valuable industry insights but also fosters collaboration".

Simon Richardson, vice principal of UTC, described the experience as instrumental in bridging the academic learning and practical application gap.

"The students greatly benefited from the exposure to real-world industry challenges and the opportunity to interact with seasoned professionals," he noted.

With such positive feedback, the Mission CX programme looks set to continue inspiring and developing the future workforce for many years to come.