More than 100 children and family members attended a special Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) celebration event at Anfield this summer, marking the successful conclusion of a pioneering Trimble SketchUp for Schools programme delivered by the LFC Foundation in partnership with Liverpool FC's official partner, Trimble.

The event brought together young people from across the programme for a day of interactive STEM learning, providing a safe and engaging environment during the summer holidays where participants could explore technology, engineering and digital design.

Supported by Trimble volunteers, attendees took part in a rotation of four hands-on workshops designed to showcase how technology can be used creatively and practically. A highlight of the day saw Trimble Education Manager, Tori Hassan, dial in live from Colorado to deliver a SketchUp lesson, giving participants a unique opportunity to learn the basics of 3D design directly from a global expert.

Children also had the chance to engage with Trimble technology beyond SketchUp, creating digital structural models in Tekla Structures before bringing their ideas to life through practical construction activities.

Senior Product Director, Michael Evans, praised both the event and the enthusiasm of those taking part: "The event was a great success. It was very well organised and managed. Given the age range of those participating, I was surprised by how attentive the attendees were for the whole day and the quality of their questions."

"It was great to see them diving into the Trimble software, creating digital structural models in Tekla Structures and then building in real life with the kits available. I hope we inspired attendees to see construction technology as a potential future career or to consider working in construction as an engineer building future buildings (and rollercoasters!). Great effort from the whole LFC Foundation team!"

LFC Foundation CEO, Matt Parish also attended the event and highlighted the impact that partnerships such as Trimble can have on young people: "It was brilliant to see the children interact with Trimble products and staff at the celebration event and really engage young people with technology to develop their skills."

"Collaborations with partners like Trimble enable us as the Foundation to enhance our delivery by combining our strengths to make a real impact on young people's lives as we look to work with 500,000 participants by 2030."

The celebration event marked the culmination of a five-week SketchUp for Schools pilot programme, which saw LFC Foundation staff trained to deliver sessions in primary schools for children aged 7-11.

Using Trimble's SketchUp technology, pupils developed architectural and 3D-modelling skills while exploring concepts linked to mathematics, engineering and design. Throughout the project, young people were encouraged to think creatively, solve problems and build confidence using industry-leading digital tools.

Over the course of the programme, the LFC Foundation, with support from Trimble, engaged more than 600 pupils, introducing many of them to 3D modelling for the very first time.

Feedback from participating schools demonstrated the impact of the programme. Every teacher involved in the pilot told the LFC Foundation that they would welcome the SketchUp for Schools programme back into their school.

One teacher commented: "The most valuable aspect of the programme was how engaging and enjoyable the sessions were for the pupils. They really enjoyed learning how to use SketchUp and developing their digital design skills through practical, creative activities. The programme gave pupils the opportunity to learn new skills, be creative and produce work they were proud of."

Through the partnership with Trimble, hundreds of young people have developed new digital skills, discovered future career pathways and gained hands-on experience of cutting-edge technology in both the classroom and at Anfield.

To learn more about SketchUp for Schools, click here.