Over 1000 school pupils have experienced The London Centre and learnt about the built environment since opening in April 2023. The London Centre is home to NLA, London’s built environment community, which hosts the NLA Learning programme, aiming to inspire young people to build careers in the built environment and play an active role in citymaking.

 

The London Centre prioritises school groups on Mondays, with the NLA team and network providing creative workshops, model talks, and more. The Centre serves as a hub for events, education, and cultural activities, showcasing London's innovation with architectural models and an exhibition on the city's transformation. NLA’s Learning Programme begins a journey of life-long learning, inspiring and engaging young people with a variety of careers, while encouraging and supporting diverse talent into the industry. It encompasses lectures on placemaking and regeneration, design workshops, careers advice, study tours, and working with the NLA NextGen network to inspire the next generation of London’s leaders. 

 

NLA has partnered with the Harris Federation, an education charity working with 52 academies in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. The partnership aims to enhance student experiences and knowledge about the built environment, especially for those from working-class and disadvantaged backgrounds. The Harris Federation statistics highlight their impact: 15 most deprived secondary schools have Student Premium percentages of 45% - 60% compared to the national average of 27.3%. The NLA Learning Programme aligns with NLA's core value to create a better city for all Londoners.

On 10 July the Harris Federation brought 35 pupils to the London Centre for a Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) Day. Students reported that the day inspired them to consider careers in the built environment, with many reporting that they felt ‘more interested in planning and architecture’ because it would allow them to ‘have an impact on place’ and can already see ‘the effect it has on local [people].’ 

In September, NLA will once again host a School Engagement Programme at the annual London Real Estate Forum (LREF) held at the Barbican Centre. Through a number of activities the programme brings future career opportunities to life through engaging workshops and mentoring led by industry leaders from across the public and private sectors.

 

In October NLA will be running mentoring sessions for students who would like to learn more about the built environment industry from NLA’s NextGen professionals. In November NLA hosts 92 students from Croydon High School for a bespoke model talk and accompanying activities, and later in the month a workshop with Future Academies, a multi-academy trust that provides opportunities for students to widen their horizons through enriching experiences aimed at exposing students to successful people from various professions.

 

Model talks for schools and universities are available every week at the London Centre, with plans for enhanced mentoring programmes, workshops, and other activities that support young people’s progression into the built environment industry.

 

Many students at the Harris Federation NEA Day spoke positively of the London Centre as a place to learn, with ‘lots of data to help with exams and assessments’, ‘very interesting’ models, and a strong network of people on hand to answer questions they have.