More than 120 local pupils met pioneering business leaders from White City’s booming innovation district.
Organised by Hammersmith & Fulham Council, the event was held at White City Place in Wood Lane on Wednesday (11 October).
It was called the ‘White City Reveal’ and offered 10-to-14-year-olds the chance to ask questions and explore careers in life sciences, green tech and the creative industries.
“There are so many scientists and engineers and inventors here,” said Jamil, 11, from St John’s XXIII primary school in White City. “One day, I am going to be one of them.”
View the photos from the day on the H&F Flickr page.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s pioneering Industrial Strategy has helped attract more than £5billion in local investment and created more than 8,000 local jobs in exciting new tech-driven industries.
Paving the way
By connecting local schools with our buzzing business community, H&F is helping ensure local children have the best possible chance to benefit from local job opportunities.
“My favourite today was L’Oréal,” said Sylvia Sharp, 12, from Phoenix Academy in White City. “I know that they’re based here in White City now, so I definitely want to apply to a job to work in skincare when I’m old enough.”
Tech-savvy fellow student Omar Hersi, 13, added: “I really liked Quench AI – it sounded cool. You get to work with artificial intelligence to improve the world, which is basically what I want to do.”
With Gravity Media, children got to channel their inner TV personalities – in front and behind the camera. “They work with so many different sports brands, and I’m a big football fan,” said 11-year-old Hudayfi Ali from Miles Coverdale primary school in Shepherds Bush. “We even got to test out one of their special cameras that’s been used in tennis matches around the world.”
Meanwhile, fellow pupil Stefin, 10, liked the sound of working with recycling and waste contractor Veolia. “It’s a job where you can have a real impact on the environment,” he said. “They told us about their summer work programme – I’d like to work for their communications team to help make their flyers.”
White City means business
The White City Innovation District is home to an ever-growing network of leading researchers and entrepreneurs across sciences, tech, engineers, medicine, maths and media (STEMMM).
Represented on the day were local businesses BBC Studioworks, Gravity Media, Veolia and Imperial College London, all committed to supporting the local community.
H&F Mayor Cllr Patricia Quigley said at the event: “Thank you to all the businesses that have opened their doors to local children and young people.
“It was incredibly empowering and inspiring to see them get excited about these amazing opportunities that White City has to offer – right here on their doorstep. We will keep supporting our schools and work with businesses to ensure that local people get to benefit.”
While Andrew Tebbutt, director of outreach at Imperial College London said: “Imperial is proud of its connections with the local community in White City where we are working in partnership with local organisations to make a positive social impact.”
Read more reaction about the White City Reveal from local business leaders below.
Business leader comments
BBC Studioworks
Anthony Brown, creative diversity partner/sound supervisor:
We are passionate about community engagement and want to develop our future workforce, which we believe should start locally. We recognise that work experience is key to raising awareness and an affinity to our business as well as being a crucial component to CV building. Therefore, we are keen to grow our partnerships with local education institutions.”
The BBC has an iconic history in White City. Television Centre – known locally as TVC – recorded, and transmitted many famous BBC television shows from 1960 to 2013, including the News, Match of the Day, Blue Peter and Doctor Who.
Following a refurbishment, the complex reopened in 2017 with three studios in use for TV production, operated by BBC Studioworks.
Credits include ITV Studios Daytime’s Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women, So Television’s The Graham Norton Show for BBC One, Remarkable Television’s Pointless for BBC One as well as BBC Studios’ EastEnders, Children in Need, Strictly Come Dancing, and live election coverage for BBC News.
Gravity Media
Ed Tischler, managing director – emerging markets:
Gravity Media continues to nurture talent across the globe working closely with Mama Youth, Rise, and local universities to invest and train in the next generation of talent. Helping to gain hands-on experience, develop knowledge of the broadcast industry and explore the types of careers available at Gravity Media.”
Gravity Media brings iconic sporting moments and memorable entertainment to screens around the world. Home to state-of-the-art equipment, cutting edge technology and world class production and post-production facilities, Gravity Media is leading the way in global sports and entertainment content creation.
In 2018, Gravity Media acquired the former sports production company Input Media whose London Production Centre is based close to Ravenscourt Park. In July 2023, Gravity Media launched its second Production Centre facility in White City.
Imperial College London
Andrew Tebbutt, Director of Outreach:
Imperial is proud of its connections with the local community in White City where we are working in partnership with local organisations to make a positive social impact. We are passionate about making our science and technology engaging and accessible for all by connecting local families with Imperial researchers and running innovative programmes such as our Maker Challenge which gives local young people the chance to develop an idea and see it through to creation. With access to cutting edge technologies including 3D printers, scanners and laser cutters, our participants experience first-hand how to use a range of making tools and techniques with the support of our staff and students.”
Imperial College London is one of the world’s top universities with a mission to achieve enduring excellence in research and education in science, engineering, medicine and business for the benefit of society. Imperial has a greater proportion of world-leading research than any other UK university, according to the Research Excellence Framework, and is recognised as one of the UK's most innovative universities with an exceptional entrepreneurial culture and ties to industry.
Imperial’s White City and Hammersmith Campus is a beacon for disruptive innovation. It’s a place where an inclusive approach to discovery, entrepreneurship and invention drives local, national, and international impact.
Veolia
Meeka’ Khan, Social Value Officer at Veolia Hammersmith & Fulham, said:
We love working with children and young people, getting them interested in our work and nurturing their passion for climate action and ecological transformation.
“We run a three-week work programme over the summer where we take up to five young people to take on business-relevant roles in our Hammersmith & Fulham contract. It gives them real life work experience and a chance to make an impact on the work we deliver.”
Veolia is the UK leader in environmental solutions and delivers recycling and waste collections, as well as the street cleansing service, in Hammersmith & Fulham.
Stanhope
Alice Jardine, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) executive, said:
Stanhope is delighted to welcome H&F’s White City Reveal event to White City Place. Being able to unite local schools with businesses in the area to discuss employability is a unique opportunity to create inspiring partnerships. Events like this are vital to maintain the growing innovation district in White City.”
