Careers Fair 2016

13 October 2016

Big businesses, universities and the armed forces were among those who joined us yesterday as Birkenhead Sixth Form College hosted its biennial Careers Fair.

Nearly 60 organisations, companies and educational institutions made themselves available to offer careers advice to both our students and others across Wirral, helping young people understand the options available for their futures.

Grant Thornton’s global professional services, the Royal Navy and 18 different universities were included in the local, national and international bodies represented.

Part of the College’s Enrichment activities, the Careers Fair allows students to explore all the avenues open to them after their A Levels, and possibly what can be done during their studies to boost their personal profile. Whether students’ interests take them down the path of higher education or vocational careers and apprenticeships, every angle was catered for.

The College’s Enrichment coordinator, Rowena Lovett, said: “These events are really important for students to meet professionals and people who work in the industries that they inspire to enter into, and find out about the opportunities available to them from actual people rather than reading about it. They can get a realistic impression of what that career is like and gain some insight that they didn’t have beforehand.”

Rowena said that one such example of broadening students’ views of the scope of a profession was displayed at the Fair in the medical arena. NHS representatives were available for students to speak to, not only about careers as doctors and nurses, but as radiographers, radiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists and speech & language therapists too.

Rowena explained: “It’s vital that students have all the options in front of them for their future, so having nearly 20 universities coming to the College to give careers advice was complemented by big businesses who offer apprenticeships such as Unilever, Jaguar Land Rover and SP Energy Networks, to name but a few. It was fantastic to have creative companies like Lime Pictures and Handstand Productions as well. We’d like to say a big thank you to all that came to the College.”

Three such people that took advantage of the Unilever apprenticeship scheme were returning Birkenhead Sixth Form College students Rebecca Darlington, Holly Nelson and Robbie Perkins, who came to the Careers Fair as official delegates for the multinational company.

The three ex-students all left the College within the last five years and each decided that, despite good A Level grades, university wasn’t the path for them, so instead applied for Unilever’s apprenticeship.

Holly, part of the College’s Class of 2014, said: “We’re in a position here of being able to offer genuine advice that students can relate to, because we’ve all been through the same thing very recently.”

2011 leaver, Robbie, explained: “When I came here, I attended one of these events and that’s how I found out about the Unilever apprenticeships. If I hadn’t have done that, I don’t think I would be in the position I am now. I’ve got a great job and even better career prospects.”

For more on our Enrichment programme, click here.

The full list of Careers attendees:

Ainsley Gommon

ALDI

Army

ASDA

Aspire Achieve Advance

Bangor University

Blackpool & Fylde College

Boots

BSFC

Chester University