Young people in the borough, with a desire to work in building, design, and architecture, met with career experts at a prestigious national event last week.
Children and young people aged up to 25 were invited to take part in a range of hands-on activities led by industry professionals at The Festival of the Future 2025, in London.
Attendees from the borough were able to experience the event, hosted by The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and Beyond the Box, for free, thanks to 200 places funded from Ealing Council. They were able to access workshops, take part in industry debates and group design tasks, and have the chance to talk to careers experts.
The 2-day event (14-15 March) was set up to inspire and encourage the next generation of architects, designers, and more.
Attendees got the chance to meet with careers experts to explore different routes to becoming an architect, whether they were choosing their GCSEs, preparing for university, or getting ready to graduate.
‘Learn what it means to work in the built environment’
Olivia Benjamin-MacDonald, who attended the event, is a student about to start an internship programme with Build the Way.
She said: “The Festival of the Future was an amazing event. The educational approach to architecture was really inspiring and set the tone for future events. It is important for me to reframe and learn what it means to work in the built environment, broadening the social role of an architect or a designer. Partners truly reflected sustainable thinking about the future of diverse cities. I was really happy I could be amongst them and the festival as a whole.”
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Funding places at events like the Festival of the Future is just one of the many ways we are helping to create better career progression pathways for young people. I was delighted to attend a creative workshop at the festival with pupils from Brentside High School who thoroughly enjoyed it.
“These events play a vital role in opening up exciting industries like architecture and design to those who might not otherwise have access to them. The creative sector is hugely important to our borough, and is one of the key areas highlighted for further growth in our jobs and skills strategy. By supporting local people to get into creative careers, we will fulfil our promise of ensuring that all residents can access a decent living income from a good, well-paid job.”
Build on your career
You can explore the different pathways to qualifying as an architect and the support available in architectural education, by visiting the RIBA website
Find free, informative, and interactive virtual and face-to-face support to help you on your career journey in creative industries by visiting the Work Ealing website
If you need help with finding the next step in your career in another field, visit the West London Skills and Work Finder website for local training courses, careers events, and other available support to get into work.
Visit the Learn Ealing website to find out more about the courses it offers for young adult learners, including professional employability, English and maths, and creative arts.
Join our creative sector forum
Supporting home-grown young and diverse talent into creative careers is a key priority for the borough’s creative sector forum. It is a group of more than 50 creative businesses in the borough helping to drive growth of this industry forward locally and beyond. Businesses and individuals interested in finding out more and in getting involved can email invest@ealing.gov.uk
Photo credit: Patrick Dempsey
