A group of unemployed young people desperate to break into events management had a once in a lifetime insight into one of the biggest and best festivals in the world, from Glastonbury’s very own founder, Michael Eavis.

The cohort of 35 young east Londoners aged 18 – 24, who are not already in education, employment or training, were on a field trip for the Creativity Works: Festivals programme, designed to give them work experience in the live music industry.

They had the unique chance to get behind the scenes at Worthy Farm in Somerset as final preparations for one of the biggest and most respected festivals in the world got underway, and took part in a master class delivered by Eavis, who started the festival 45 years ago.

The idea behind the course - which also saw the group gain behind-the-scenes insights at Victoria park’s Lovebox, Unsigned Festival and Walthamstow Garden Party - was to increase their career prospects in the live music event sector which generates £2.2bn for the UK economy, and supports 24,000 jobs a year.

The programme culminated last Tuesday with a graduation ceremony, when participants put on their own evening of music and live entertainment at Oslo in Hackney Central. They are now taking part in 10 weeks of work experience with employers like the Barbican Centre.

Creativity Works connects young Londoners from some of the city’s most deprived areas with job opportunities in the growing creative sectors, The programme follows on from the successful Creativity Works: Fashion, Creativity Works: Eastbury Manor and Creativity Works: Winter Lights programmes last year, from which 80 per cent of the participants have gone on to paid employment, university or further training.