A visit for Year 9 students from North Cambridge Academy to Cambridge Biomedical Campus, hosted by Cambridge 2030, has showcased how new rail infrastructure, connecting north and south Cambridge, has made a multitude of exciting career opportunities more accessible for young people from across the city.
The visit was part of Cambridge 2030’s North Cambridge Futures initiative, which aims to raise aspirations and widen employment opportunities for young people in the north of the city, with a primary focus on Arbury and Kings Hedges.
Following the opening of Cambridge South station in June 2026, improved transport links have made it faster and easier to access the city’s major employment hubs. A journey across the city that previously took over an hour is now only 11 minutes, helping to remove some of the physical barriers that can prevent young people from accessing opportunities. Students made the journey to Cambridge South accompanied by Julie Spence OBE, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire and Cambridge 2030 Ambassador, and Alison Taylor, Chair of Cambridge 2030.
Julie Spence said: “Cambridge is a city rich in opportunities, yet for young people in the north of the city, many of these opportunities have been out of reach, due to both physical distance and social barriers. These young people are an important part of Cambridge’s future growth and better connectivity will not only help them access opportunities on the other side of the city but will also help employers access previously untapped talent. On the train, the journey from north to south takes just 11 minutes, a much more accessible option than a longer journey previously involving several buses.”
Students started their day with a site tour at AstraZeneca, followed by a visit to 2000 Discovery Drive, which will be the new home of GSK, where they participated in a panel discussion and Q&A session with professionals representing some of the careers offered on site. Among the panel were:
- Helen Watson, Director of Allied Health Professions at Cambridge University Hospitals
- Gary Parlett, Head of Education – Nursing, Midwifery and AP at Cambridge University Hospitals
- Dan Changer, Project Commercial Director at SDC
- Matt Harrison, Founder and Managing Director of Stir
- Emily Bliss, Manager Life Sciences at Prologis
Emily Bliss, Manager Life Sciences at Prologis said: “At Prologis, we are passionate about breaking down barriers to careers and helping young people see the incredible opportunities open to them here in Cambridge. Our hope is that the panel has shown students just how many different roles the Cambridge Biomedical Campus needs to keep growing and stay world-leading, from science and healthcare to construction and hospitality. Students can play an exciting part in the Campus' future, and they don’t need their career mapped out to get started. Being curious is a brilliant place to begin.”
Jermiah and Olivier, students at North Cambridge Academy said: “We loved visiting the Biomedical Campus, it was really great to listen to people from different careers and they gave us interesting and helpful life advice.”
Marta Wierdak-Haggerty, Station Manager, Cambridge South said: “Cambridge South is about much more than a new station; it’s about connecting people with the growth, innovation, and opportunities shaping the future of this great city. By making everything in and to the south of Cambridge more accessible to people in other parts of the city, we are helping to bring some of the city’s leading employers and research organisations closer to the communities around them. Days like this are a powerful reminder of what connectivity, investment and access to opportunity through transport can mean for the next generation, and we are proud to be a part of the story.”