Young people from across Leeds have pitched their visions for the future of shopping as part of a city-wide retail competition.
Trinity Leeds and White Rose Shopping Centre hosted the ‘Made in Yorkshire’ initiative this month. The programme challenged students to design innovative community spaces to reimagine their local retail destinations. Year 10 pupils from Bruntcliffe Academy, Dixons Unity Academy, and Oulton Academy took part in workshops and live pitches to present their concepts to industry professionals.
The winning team, ‘Talk Trinity’ from Dixons Unity Academy, proposed a unique mental health and wellbeing hub. This team will now progress to the national semi-finals, followed by a grand final in London later this year. To develop their ideas, students explored creative placemaking, customer insights, and environmental sustainability. Their proposals demonstrated a strong understanding of brand development and long-term audience engagement.
Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds and White Rose Shopping Centre, said: “The Made in Yorkshire project offers young students the chance to develop their creativity and come up with fresh and exciting ideas within the retail sector. The future generation present new perspectives and valuable insights into retail experiences that reflect their needs and resonates with their audience.”
He commented: “Now in its third year, the Yorkshire competition gives students a space to produce an original concept, develop it into a design and then pitch it to professionals, enhancing their confidence and providing them with skills and knowledge to help boost them in their future endeavours.”
The project is delivered alongside the parent company, Landsec, and Ahead Partnership. It aims to bridge the gap between education and the workplace by providing immersive experiences. This year’s participants used mood boards and research plans to bring their retail visions to life, focusing on how physical spaces can strengthen community ties.
Andy Clarke, Head of Partnerships at Ahead Partnership, said: “Nothing brings careers and skills education to life quite like stepping into real workplaces and meeting role models face to face. The Made In Yorkshire Challenge demonstrates the power of immersive, interactive experiences to ignite curiosity, broaden horizons and inspire young people to explore career paths they may never have considered.”
He commented: “Together, we’re showing how employers can play a vital role in supporting young people to gain the insights, skills and confidence to thrive in their future careers while building pride in place and awareness of the careers that lie behind young people’s favourite destinations.”
