Here at Citrix we talk a lot about the workspace of the future — helping our customers understand how our products and services can meet the changing nature of the workplace. As the workplace and the work itself are evolving, we also need to focus on preparing the workforce of the future.

As we enter a new decade, every business is a technology business. Our children are being prepared for jobs that don’t exist yet, but what we do know is that technology skills will only become more valuable with time. The team at Citrix UK feels it’s our corporate responsibility to help instil these skills in the next generation, to prepare them for the future of work.

With this in mind, we recently invited UK employees’ children to join us in our Chalfont and Cambridge offices for two “Bring Your Child to Work Days”. Thirty-one young people aged between 7 and 13 joined us across the two activity-packed days, starting with a tour of the office. They then joined an interactive programming exercise, where they learnt what programming does and how to give instructions in the right way for a computer to understand them. Following this, groups of students brainstormed the company policies they would implement if they were the boss — a wide ranging selection from “better working environment” to “pay rises if you work harder”!

After lunch, the children took part in a threat-modelling session and designed their own company logos, before cheering on the Paddington team’s charity fundraising efforts via a live stream. Throughout the day they also had plenty of time to enjoy the office facilities, including the table football and some well-deserved pizza and snacks, as well as taking turns on the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing simulators that prove so popular at Citrix events around the world! Finally, they designed their own apps and discussed early stage careers and recruitment.

You can get a behind-the-scenes look at the Cambridge event here:

These kinds of activities are essential in building the future workforce, and we intend to continue to develop and grow the programme to reach as many young people as possible. In recent years, we have introduced and expanded an internship programme, as well as initiating a range of other activities and events, both directly and with the support of external organisations, to do our part in preparing young people from primary to university level for careers in IT.

While the organisation of the “Bring Your Child to Work” events was led by the local HR team, none of the activities would have been possible without a dedicated team of volunteers in each location, and the support of the parents and guardians who recognised the value of the events for their children. A big thank you to all of them, and to the Citrix employees of the future!