YORK is set to host the North of England's first ever career "launchpad" events for future scientists.

The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) at Sand Hutton is opening its doors to host one of the Institute of Food Science and Technology’s Student Career LaunchPads.

The event provides students with the opportunity to learn about and prepare for career options available within the food and drink sector.

Students will hear presentations from industry leaders, voice their own perspectives about key challenges within food and drink, tour the Fera facilities and take part in a ‘speed-dating’ style lunch, in which they can speak with industry leaders of their choice.

This is the third year that IFST is running their Student LaunchPad event. The opportunity to hold a LaunchPad up north has allowed for new universities to take part in this event, including the University of Huddersfield, Liverpool John Moores University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Teesside University. They will join students from Sheffield Hallam University, Reaseheath College and the University of Nottingham.

Paul Brereton of Fera and Jon Poole, chief Executive of IFST, will lead a discussion session at Fera.

Mr Brereton, who leads the EU funded FoodIntegrity project, and is head of Agri-food Research at Fera, said: "It’s great that we are holding this event in the North of England where we have some excellent universities.

"This really is a win-win situation for us as the students benefit from the expertise on offer at Fera and we as an organisation reap the reward of helping to ensure a future supply of top researchers."

The Student Career LaunchPad will take place on November 3.