Wednesday 29th October marked an unforgettable afternoon at WEST Youth Zone, where over 100 young people from across London gathered to meet employers, try new skills and discover their future. The day involved exploring different careers and taking part in hands-on challenges designed to spark ambition.
With the support of our incredible corporate and community partners, such as L’Oréal Groupe, Harrods, QPR and many more, young people had the chance to engage in activities that showcased real-world skills and career possibilities. Attendees also received free professional headshots curtsy of Berkeley Group and boosted their CVs and interview skills through engaging workshops led by WEST Youth Workers.
A Huge Thank You to Our Partners
We’re deeply grateful to the organisations who made this event possible:
- L’Oréal Groupe ran a product marketing challenge with a perfume giveaway, helping young people think creatively about branding and consumer engagement.
- Harrods invited attendees to design their own festive charm, blending luxury retail with personal expression.
- Modulr hosted a ChatGPT prompts challenge, encouraging digital fluency and innovation in fintech.
- Orbis Investments invited attendees to their investment challenge, deciding how to allocate £100 across key companies and exploring how their chosen stocks would have performed.
- Bridges Fund Management invited young people to envision community spaces and learn about sustainable development.
- St James (Berkeley Group) brought the fun with a spaghetti marshmallow building challenge, sparking interest in design and construction.
- Monsoon Accessorize hosted a popular phone charm-making workshop and a festive window display activity, offering a hands-on introduction to visual merchandising.
- Fuller’s showcased their diverse career opportunities in hospitality through interactive employability games.
- QPR in the Community and Shepherd’s Bush Market Academy provided valuable resources and pathways into entrepreneurship and sport.
“The highlight of the day was getting to speak to the young people and answering the questions they had about university and studying tips, as well as how to get into different roles, and learning about our company. I definitely think we were able to make an impact on the attendees we met at WEST Career Zone” — Modulr
Keynote Inspiration
The day concluded with a powerful keynote speech by Louis Howell, co-founder of Revolution Hive and 7PK. His talk, “Lock in. Level Up.” gave attendees practical tools to maximise opportunities and stand out in professional environments.
“One of the most powerful moments was the talk by Louis Howell . His message was clear and deeply motivating. He spoke about the importance of extracting the most out of every opportunity, being intentional about knowing what you want and how to achieve it, and building strong relationships, reminding us that “your network is your net worth.”” — Young Person
“WEST Youth Zone is the best youth club and it helped me a lot, I had alot of fun [at the Career Zone]” — Young Person
“This event has made me realise that commitment and confidence builds character and aids with employability and future achievement” — Young Person
Want to Make a Difference?
If you’re a business or organisation looking to inspire the next generation, we’d love to welcome you as a WEST Youth Zone Patron. Your support helps us deliver impactful events like WEST’s Career Zone and ensures young people have access to opportunities that shape their futures.