Leicester College challenges gender stereotypes for students with ‘Your Future, Your Rules’ taster sessions

Leicester College is encouraging students to challenge traditional gender stereotypes and explore careers where their gender has historically been underrepresented, through two upcoming ‘Your Future, Your Rules’ taster sessions.

Taking place on Monday 19 October 2026, the sessions will provide male students interested in childcare and education, and female students interested in engineering, with the opportunity to experience the subjects first-hand, develop practical skills and hear from people of their own gender working in the industries.

The Your Future, Your Rules - Men in Childcare and Education Taster Session and Your Future, Your Rules - Women in Engineering Taster Session will both take place from 9.30am-12.30pm at Leicester College’s Abbey Park Campus.

The men in childcare and education session is designed for male students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who are interested in working with children and young people. Attendees will have the chance to explore career opportunities within the sector, develop practical skills and learn more about the routes into roles including teaching, youth and community work, education advice and early education.

The session will also provide an opportunity for students to hear directly from men working in childcare and education and gain an insight into their experiences of working in a sector where men remain underrepresented.

At the same time, female students in Years 10, 11 and 12 will be invited to Leicester College’s Women in Engineering session, where they can get hands-on experience of working in an engineering environment.

Students will take part in a guided tour of the College’s £3.5 million Engineering Workshop before getting involved in a practical motor vehicle session, where they will learn how to remove and refit a vehicle wheel. They will also have the opportunity to find out more about motor vehicle courses and career pathways, as well as meet women working in the industry.

The event forms part of Leicester College’s Your Future, Your Rules campaign, which aims to support greater gender diversity across industries and encourage young people to make career choices based on their interests, skills and ambitions, rather than historic gender stereotypes.

Zoe Butler, Director of Student Services and Marketing at Leicester College said: “Through Your Future, Your Rules, we want young people to feel that their career choices are theirs to make. These sessions are about breaking down outdated stereotypes, providing meaningful experiences and showing students that there are opportunities available to them across every industry.

“By connecting students with people who have experience of working in these sectors, we hope they will leave feeling inspired and more confident about exploring a career they may not have previously considered.”

Places are available for eligible students to book through the Leicester College website.

Find out more about the Your Future, Your Rules - Men in Childcare and Education Taster Session.

Find out more about the Your Future, Your Rules - Women in Engineering Taster Session.