LIPA students go on to get involved in a wide and wild variety of activities once they’ve left the Mother Ship. Here, Alex Rivers (Community Music, 2004-07) reflects on his work in his school’s careers service. Whether behind a mic or a djembe, Alex believes in music not just as performance—but as connection, resistance, and radical care. His motto – “Don’t underestimate how powerful your music can be—even if no one claps.” – is something he learned at LIPA and has informed his music ever since. He supports his musical ambition as a part time careers support worker in a Liverpool secondary school, not a million miles away from where he graduated all those years ago.
A Day in the Life of Me
The world of work looms large for children these days. They may think they’re safely ensconced in the heaving bosom of their primary school; they may feel immune in the cut and thrust of the corridors of their secondary school; but the truth is the World of Work is always beckoning to them from an ever decreasingly young age. Before too long, infants at nursery will be incalculated with the rights and responsibilities of being a corporate citizen.
This is of course very good news for those of us who have chosen the career path of Careers Advisor. Once upon a time we were locked up in the staff room of the average secondary school and only let out to play once the youth had turned 15, but these days we are called upon to enthuse the youth about the World of Work the moment they set foot in a primary school.
This is an excellent state of affairs for us Careers Advisors as it means our careers have a longevity only dreamt of by our forefathers. The professional Careers Advisor now has a genuine careers path with opportunities of progression, professional development and foreign travel. Now, instead of suggesting that the youth tread gingerly in the footsteps of doctors, soldiers, and engineers, we can advise our youth to follow in our footsteps and become Careers Advisors in their own right when the time to consider their careers is up.
There are some that look askance at such a piece of professional advice although I can’t think why. Not everyone can become professional doctors, footballers or community artists so it is right and proper that we lay out all the options to the sweaty youth who are perched on their seats in front of us.
Just this morning I was faced with an oik called Gerald who had no idea about the World of Work. He knew nothing of what his next best step would be, being the best he could be or fulfilling his potential. All he could do was stare at his mobile phone and mutter incomprehensible monosyllables out loud.
So, what better option for him than to become a fully paid up member of the professional Career Advisor class? I quickly suggested this to him and immediately his eyes lit up. He stood up tall, looked out of the window, and flushed with the vocational call of telling other people how to live their lives, strode purposefully out of our meeting cupboard and into the playground. Later on I hear that he has run his first after school seminar on employability and the needs of the modern employer.
Another good day at the office? I would say so.
Alex Rivers is a Liverpool-based community musician, songwriter, and educator whose work lives at the intersection of music, healing, and social justice. He has spent over 15 years designing and delivering participatory music projects with young people, refugees, people in recovery, and others whose voices are too often unheard. His 2021 debut solo album, Where the Echo Lives, draws on stories gathered from the margins—songs shaped by community workshops, late-night jam sessions, and lyric scribbles shared in confidence. Beyond the stage, Alex is the founder of SoundGround, a non-profit dedicated to creative access and youth empowerment through music. He’s led international projects in Berlin, Athens, and Belfast, trained hundreds of arts facilitators, and continue to advocate for inclusive, trauma-informed practices in the creative industries. If you want to contact him, please leave your contact details here and I’ll pass on your interest.
