As a reward for showing significant engagement towards their own Life After Laurus thinking, Year 10 students from Laurus Ryecroft enjoyed an inspiring day at the JD UP careers and inspiration event.
100 students were selected to attend after demonstrating a commitment to their future by completing at least one virtual work experience course on our online platform Unifrog.
The event, held at Manchester Central Convention Centre, was organised by the JD Foundation, the charitable arm of JD Sports.
Now in its third year, JD UP brings together thousands of students from across Greater Manchester for a two‑day experience designed to spark ambition and open up new career pathways. This year 10,000 students from more than 70 schools took part.
Across the venue, nearly 1,000 JD staff were on hand representing many different departments. Students were able to learn about roles in areas such as retail operations, law, finance, technology, logistics, design, photography, marketing, and product development.
The day offered a valuable opportunity to learn more about the many careers that power a major global brand and to gain insight into different pathways available within the industry.
Our students also heard directly from industry experts, including the co‑founders of the sportswear brand Montirex.
Their insights into building a successful business and navigating the world of sports fashion gave students plenty of inspiration to consider their own next steps.
JD UP was a valuable chance for our students to experience the world of work beyond the classroom and to develop their thinking around post‑16 and post‑18 pathways.
They returned with new ideas, fresh motivation, and a clearer sense of the possibilities open to them.