Hundreds of Young People Inspired to Pursue AI, Cyber Security, Science, Technology and Engineering Careers at TeenTech Lancashire Festival 2025

More than 1800, Year 8 and 9 pupils from across Lancashire took part in the 2025 TeenTech Lancashire Festival programme. Starting with a virtual event in February, followed by 24 schools attending an immersive Festival Day of workshops and challenges with leading local and national employers in the science, technology and engineering industries, to inspire them to consider career opportunities in these fields. Schools also entered the TeenTech Awards, with teams from Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio School and The Hyndburn Academy being finalists in this year’s London showcase.

The TeenTech Lancashire Festival Day took place, at Edge Hill University Campus, Ormskirk in the summer term and marked the 5th year of TeenTech activity in the region, with even more schools and companies taking part than ever before. It aimed to raise aspirations and help young people realise their potential to gain the skills they need to take on the careers of tomorrow.

Held in partnership with the Lancashire Digital Skills Partnership, part of the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, Edge Hill University, Lancashire Careers Hub and sponsored by Oracle. The festival was an interactive event of exciting challenges and hands-on activities overseen by a network of employers and university departments who provided the groups with live feedback as the day progressed. The students were full of enthusiasm in the Innovation Zone as they pitched their tech ideas to make life better, simpler, safer or more fun; In the Insight and Challenge zones they tackled a diverse range of activities from hospital ward and theatre experiences with interactive mannequins in the Edge Hill Faculty of Health, delving into cyber security with National Cyber Force, learning how to minimise coastal erosion with JBA Trust and operating cameras and sound in the Edge Hill TV studio.
Commenting on the day, Dr Michele Lawty-Jones, Director, Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub and technical lead for the Lancashire Combined County Authority said:
“It was wonderful to see all the young people fully engaged in interactive tech and digital challenges with the businesses that were at the TeenTech Festival. Lancashire has a growing demand for digital, tech, cyber and AI skills, and events like this raise aspiration, boost interest and help young people to think about the types of skills that they will need for their future career. There were so many light bulb moments – young people getting excited about future career opportunities. It was also pleasing to see the range of businesses – local and national, across sectors, from manufacturing to cyber, agri-tech to health tech, demonstrating the plethora of applications of digital and tech skills. A big thank you to everyone involved!”
TeenTech events aim to help young people from 8 to 18 understand the opportunities in the science, technology and engineering industries, raise their aspirations and realise their potential.

Commenting on the programme of events, TeenTech CEO and co-founder, Maggie Philbin OBE, said:
“The feedback from teachers and students on the day was so enthusiastic and at times very moving. Two different teachers told us students who were very reluctant to participate in class insisted on sharing their ideas for how to make life ‘better, simpler, safer or more fun’ with the whole room. Our industry ambassadors were stunned by the quality of thinking. This is why we run TeenTech – to help young people understand their own potential to recognise and address real world issues with support from people who want to listen to fresh ways of addressing the many challenges we face.”

Liam Owens, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Edge Hill University said:
“It was a genuine privilege to host this year’s TeenTech Festival at Edge Hill. The energy across campus was fantastic, with departments and external employers coming together to showcase pathways into exciting STEM-focused careers. Watching young people engage so enthusiastically – particularly in our Health Simulation and Creative Arts zones – was a real highlight. I hope their curiosity and excitement about technology and it’s uses in the world will be the start of a life-long journey which will inspire their educational, university and career choices.”
Teen Tech events provide immersive, and powerful programmes which not only help young people understand the opportunities in contemporary industry but also the skills and personal qualities which are most needed in tomorrow’s world.

In addition to regional sponsors Oracle, organisations who took part were: Edge Hill University departments: Business School, Computer Science, Engineering, English and Creative Arts, Faculty of Health, Social Care & Medicine.
• A & B Engineering
• AWS
• BBC R&D
• Blackpool Grand Theatre
• British Army
• Casus Pax
• Commvault
• Electricity North West Ltd
• JBA Trust
• Kerakoll
• Lancaster University Cyber Team
• Leyland Trucks
• Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Blended Learning Team
• National Cyber Force
• Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
• Peak AI
• Softwire

BREAKING NEWS – We are delighted to announce that next year’s TeenTech Lancashire Festival will return to the University of Lancashire in Preston on 18th June 2026.

For more information about TeenTech visit: www.teentech.com. If you are interested in learning more about career options in tech, science and cyber visit the Lancashire LMI (Cyber specific Info) or watch this short animation on digital and creative careers of the future.