As an alternative to a two-week placement, the Level 4 Professional Challenge provided an opportunity for first-year students to develop key employability skills in communication, teamwork and problem solving.

Students worked in groups of up to six, with support from a Leeds Trinity University coach, to respond to one of four challenges set by Leeds City Council and LEEDS 2023, tackling issues like sustainability, climate change and equality.

The series of challenges focused on developing crucial employability skills, as well as understanding UN Sustainable Development Goals and how students can contribute to the University and Leeds City Region communities.

Students had two weeks to work on their projects and feed back their findings to the challenge setters at the closing conference on Friday 27 May.

Professor Catherine O’Connor, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Experience at Leeds Trinity University, said: “At Leeds Trinity, we are committed to ensuring that all our students have the opportunity to build their skills and networks during their time at university to benefit their future careers.

“It has been an excellent opportunity to welcome our partners at Leeds City Council and LEEDS 2023 to work with our students on a number of challenges focusing on important issues and developing their key employability skills.

“I am extremely proud of the work our students produced as a result of the Level 4 Professional Challenge and it is an experience they will be able to use to their advantage throughout their Leeds Trinity journey and beyond.”

Lee Ashworth, Volunteer Manager at LEEDS 2023, said: “It has been brilliant to work with students at Leeds Trinity on a project based around the LEEDS 2023 volunteering programme. Participating students brought energy and fresh ideas to our live brief which was a case study in how to engage communities across Leeds in our Year of Culture through volunteering. It was great to see students responding with consideration and enthusiasm. We were really impressed with depth of research and creative responses to the brief.

“We’re very much looking forward to further collaborations between LEEDS 2023 and Leeds Trinity University over the next year and into 2023 – and we hope lots of the Leeds Trinity University community will get involved in activity across the Year of Culture.”

First-year students who didn’t take part in the Level 4 Professional Challenge instead completed a two-week placement with an employer relevant to their chosen career path.

For more information about Careers and Employability at Leeds Trinity University, visit the website.