Made in Burnley... time to celebrate the inspirational young people who choose to live and work here / Rachel Bayley Burnley Place Brand Manager column

I think it’s impressive that we have two sources of university courses in our borough – Burnley College University Courses and UCLan.

The UCLan student accommodation at Sandygate is full and it was great to see so many students living there at the burnley.social welcome party at Illuminati. A huge hello to all the students at Sandygate, many of whom have come from overseas.

We hope you enjoy living in our borough and make the most of our vibrant nightlife, stunning countryside and

independent retail and hospitality offerings.

Welcome week provided the perfect time for burnley.co.uk to launch our #madeitinburnley video series, showcasing some of the talented young professionals who work here.

First up was Holly Walker, from the Ian Walker Property Group. Holly (22) told us how she learnt to plaster, tile and brick lay, as well as studying for an interior design qualification, so she could get stuck into projects.

And it’s fantastic testament to our borough that no one batted an eyelid when Holly arrived on site and got stuck in. We truly support anyone who wants to work hard in the many vibrant sectors on offer here.

We also met Toby Cooke (19) who is studying Computer Science with Software Development at The University of Liverpool. Toby is the first undergraduate to be taken on by global healthcare tech company Alcidion, who recently set up a UK base at Burnley Business centre on Empire Way.

Toby told Burnley.co.uk: “In order to gain invaluable industry experience, and apply the knowledge I have gained to date, I have taken an academic year out of my studies following completion of my second year.

"I will return to university to continue my final year studies after my 12 months with Alcidion come to an end. My passion for both people and technology make my role as a service desk analyst perfect for my skillset.

"I hope very much to return to Alcidion following completion of my degree.”

He told us that Burnley is a fantastic place to work, offering the perfect mix of an affordable, varied lifestyle and thriving sectors in which to develop a career.

As this goes to press, we will have also released our next video which shines the spotlight on Oliver Brown.

Many people will, of course, know Oliver because of his family’s business Crow Wood Leisure. But what you may not know is Oliver is the brains behind the hugely successful Soccer Burnley, a fantastic asset in our borough.

Make sure you follow burnley.co.uk on social media to watch all of this #madeitinburnley series – we’ll post a new

interview every week.

We will continue to champion the young people of our borough and we hope many who choose to study here decide to stay and make it in Burnley.