A project we have supported which aimed to improve young people’s perceptions of the ceramics industry has culminated in a finals event at the Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent.
The Ceramic Challenge saw school pupils working on three tasks: to design, develop and market a new ceramic fragrance bottle; to create a modern take on a traditional tea set and make it more appealing to the younger market, and; to develop a new marketing campaign to promote the importance of the ceramic industry to the world.
As part of the project, one group of young people were given a tour of the Armitage plant in December.
In the finals event, the various groups presented their ideas in a Dragon’s Den-style scenario and on trade stands.
HR Director Mike Kelly (above, centre right) and Environment, Health and Safety Manager Georgina Salt (above, centre left) were on the judging panel, while Recruitment Manager Viv Pearsons (below, left) and HR Business Partner Vikki Atkin (below, right) spoke to young people about careers with Ideal Standard.
Mike said: “This was a really fun and interesting event to be involved in and the young people came up with some very imaginative ideas.
“Recruiting young talent to more traditional industries can sometimes be a challenge and taking part in this project gave us the opportunity to demonstrate that there’s actually a lot to be excited about working for Ideal Standard.”