The company welcomed 15 pupils from The Bemrose School for a dedicated employer engagement day - an initiative designed to support students who may face barriers to securing traditional work placements.
The event aimed to inspire pupils by giving them a glimpse into real-world careers and an opportunity to build professional connections.
The students were split into groups to work on projects and presented their ideas to the deputy head of Bemrose School and Lucy Laughton, business support co-ordinator at Barron McCann.
Lucy said: “I was really impressed by the pupils who took part and visited us for the engagement day. They worked well in teams, delivered confident presentations, and showed real enthusiasm and potential throughout the day.
"One student, in particular, presented fresh, insightful ideas around our social media channels that genuinely impressed the team.
"This day was especially meaningful to me as my father, Arthur Titterton, was a former Bemrose pupil and contributed a chapter to the school’s history book Bemrose School: The Grammar Years. Hosting students from a school so personally significant was a real privilege.
“Providing students with real-world experiences like this helps build their confidence, develop key skills and unlocks their potential.”
The day commenced with a guided tour of the organisation’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the Innovation Hub, workshop, warehouse, and training centre, offering participants an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the company’s operations and innovative working environment.
Students were then divided into groups to research one of two topics: social media and community engagement, or inclusion and SEND perspectives. Interestingly, the pupils without SEND chose to study the latter to show support for their peers.
Year 8 pupil, Leslie, said: “Work experience with Barron McCann was eye-opening, I was able to explore a company with support from staff and learn new skills that I will need for the workplace.
“I loved that we got to play Pool at lunchtime, I felt like an adult.”
Several pupils from the SEND department at the school were able to share their own insights, offering valuable perspectives on inclusivity and accessibility in the workplace, and highlighting the importance of accommodating diverse needs.
Claire Amos, careers lead at the school, said: “Partnering with Barron McCann provided our pupils with an invaluable insight into workplace culture and modern career paths.
“Our pupils presented with confidence and displayed their newfound knowledge with ease, impressing us all.”