Students took time out to consider their next steps in education after receiving advice and support at the UTC’s Careers Fair on Monday 26 November.
Sixteen leading industry employers exhibited at the event, which was open to students from 2-4pm and to their families and the general public from 3.30pm.
Students were able to visit each of the stands and ask any questions they had about their career options – as well as gain advice – from the following employers and education providers:
Royal Navy, Network Rail, Honda, University of Winchester, Southampton Solent University, Method Consulting, Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), Dick Lovett, Wiltshire Police, UWE Bristol, Swindon College, Green Labyrinth, Diamond Light Source, Kwik-Fit, Army Apprenticeships, Gloucestershire Wiltshire Partners (GWP).
Prior to the Careers Fair, each year group received a variety of careers workshops. Year 10 had visits from Advizor, Bath University and Reading University who talked to them about making post-16 choices, and took part in self-awareness, decision making and aspirations workshops. Year 11 students sat in on lectures from Barclays Bank, Southampton Solent University, Bath University and Amazing Apprenticeships who ran sessions on life skills, and digital presentations, in addition to an apprenticeship workshop that looked at researching and applying for placements. Years 12 and 13 benefited from assessment centre and apprenticeship workshops, post-18 options, and ‘being in the know about your future’. Year 13 students also took part in mock interviews with Network Rail.
A Year 10 student said: “I found the sessions with employers really useful. They taught me a lot about apprenticeships that I didn’t know. For example, I didn’t know you could get paid and learn at the same time!”
A Year 12 student added “The Careers Fair is great because you’re standing in a room with all of the big employers and education providers, who are on hand to give you information about what they can offer you. I hadn’t experienced anywhere like this before, where you get so much access to industry and so many opportunities open to you.”
