‘Activate Your Curiosity’ opens career pathways for Mid and East Antrim students

Cambridge House pupils photographed during their visit to Moore Concrete

Students across Mid and East Antrim have been given a rare behind-the-scenes look at some of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturing businesses through the Council’s Activate Your Curiosity initiative.

In June, pupils from Larne Grammar, Ballymena Academy, Cambridge House and Carrickfergus Grammar visited top local companies, including Saint-Gobain Exterior Solutions (formerly Kilwaughter Minerals Ltd.), Moore Concrete, Wrightbus and Caterpillar.

The initiative, delivered by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council as part of the Making the Future programme, is a year-long STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) scheme aimed at inspiring young people to explore career opportunities in innovative industries.

Headlined by Saint-Gobain Exterior Solutions and sponsored by Michelin Development, Caterpillar, Moore Concrete, Teva, Terumo, EPUKI and Phoenix Energy, the project is also funded by the Department for Communities’ Labour Market Partnerships.

These partnerships create targeted employment action plans to support local people into work and strengthen collaboration between schools, employers, academia and the public sector.

Carrickfergus Grammar pupils photographed during their visit to Caterpillar

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, welcomed the continuation of the initiative, saying:

“I am delighted to see the continuation of The Activate Your Curiosity initiative as it develops and strengthen connections between schools and local employers, equipping students with the knowledge and confidence to make informed choices about their future.

“The experience provided through the initiative give our young people a first-hand look at life inside forward-thinking businesses and showcased the wide range of career opportunities available locally.”

During the site visits, students toured state-of-the-art facilities, met staff from various departments, and learned about the cutting-edge processes driving each company’s operations.

Larne Grammar School pupils photographed during their visit to Caterpillar

Throughout the academic year, Activate Your Curiosity has also offered students opportunities to visit other major programme sponsors, including Teva, Terumo, EPUKI, Ryobi and CAFRE College.

The year culminates in a flagship January event featuring acclaimed physicist Professor Brian Cox CBE FRS, further inspiring young minds and highlighting the real-world applications of STEAM subjects.

Businesses or schools interested in taking part are encouraged to contact Christine Barnhill at christine.barnhill@midandeastantrim.gov.uk