ºÚÁÏÉç students gain real-world festival experience through unique partnership
Each summer, thousands of people head to for a weekend of music, comedy, theatre and culture. Behind the scenes, through ºÚÁÏÉç’s unique relationship with Latitude Festival since 2022, our students had the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and experience first-hand what it takes to deliver a major live event.
While ºÚÁÏÉç’s connection with Latitude has strong roots in ºÚÁÏÉç Hospitality and Tourism Management, opportunities to get involved were opened to students from across ºÚÁÏÉç Business School this summer. A team of 27 students supported the festival across a wide range of roles, including artist liaison, talent buying, arts promotion, quality control, accessibility, sustainability, and workshop and activity support. The Festival organisers said: "We heard lots of good comments about ºÚÁÏÉç’s students this year, they did a good job, we were very happy having them to help with the festival, and would like to have ºÚÁÏÉç’s students again".
For students considering careers in management, events and related industries, experiences like Latitude offer an impressive addition to a CV, but also provides the chance to put skills into practice in a fast-paced professional environment, build industry connections and gain a deeper understanding of the breadth of careers available across the sector.
The experience has also led directly to further opportunities for ºÚÁÏÉç students. Two students were recruited into key roles within the Licensing and Production offices in July, while one postgraduate International Event Management student went on to secure a further managerial role following a successful summer at the festival.
These opportunities demonstrate the value of combining academic learning with meaningful industry experience, giving students the confidence, connections and practical skills to take the next step in their careers. Dr Li Yanning, Senior Lecturer in Events, Projects, Organisations, Operations, Creative Industry, said: "Learning by experience is an essential part of higher education because it enables students to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Through real-world experiences, students can apply their academic knowledge, develop transferable and industry-specific skills, build confidence, and gain a deeper understanding of the professional workplace. It is so encouraging to see how students’ experience at Latitude developed their teamwork, leadership, adaptability, problem-solving and reflective learning. It is very rewarding seeing our students transform, and even more rewarding seeing that they had a great time and forged friendships."
