Our annual Apprenticeship Careers Fair 2024 kicked off on 30 January 2024 with much enthusiasm as over 1200 students flocked to Impington Village College to explore a wide variety of apprenticeship opportunities presented by 26 esteemed Cambridgeshire employers.
Apprenticeships are a great way to move from education into work, allowing young people to gain hands-on experience whilst earning a salary. They also allow employers to recruit and train new talent with the necessary skills to succeed in their business and industry, which is particularly beneficial in sectors experiencing skills shortages.
With 14 schools attending from across Cambridgeshire, our fair has become a pivotal platform for students to engage directly with potential employers, free of charge, thanks to the generous contributions made to the transport fund.
This year we were thrilled to have so many fantastic employers exhibiting together under one roof. Businesses included Anglia Ruskin University, Arm, AstraZeneca, Bidwells, British Army, Cambridge Junction, Cambridge Regional College, Cambridgeshire Police, ZEISS Group, Deloitte, Ensors Chartered Accountants, First Intuition, Grant Thornton, Hill Group, JDR Cable Systems, Lakin Rose Chartered Accountants, Marshall Skills Academy, Mott MacDonald, PEM, PwC, RG Carter Construction, Royal Navy & Royal Marine Armed Forces, Savills, West Suffolk College and WSP.
“The work that Form the Future do is of huge importance, and their annual Apprenticeships Careers Fair provides a brilliant opportunity for local employers and young adults to come together. It gets bigger every year, and the energy and enthusiasm in the room gets more exciting. As well as being there as an exhibitor talking about the accountancy apprenticeships we deliver at First Intuition it was really pleasing to see so many of the clients that we work with talking about the various apprenticeship roles they offer in different job roles.”
In addition to the exhibition booths, the fair also featured informative seminar sessions aimed at enhancing students’ employability and interview skills. Notable sessions included presentations by First Intuition on Employability Skills, South Cambridgeshire District Council on Interview Skills, and Marshall Skills Academy on Apprenticeship Opportunities.
“South Cambridgeshire District Council were delighted to support Form the Future’s Apprenticeship Careers Fair, as it’s essential we support young people to develop their career aspirations and provide them with multiple routes to education and jobs. Running sessions on interview skills helped to prepare them for the exciting challenges which lay ahead. It was a pleasure to meet the students and answer their questions.”
Our event has not only provided a platform for students to discover potential career pathways but has also facilitated meaningful interactions between employers and future talents, fostering a conducive environment for the growth of apprenticeship opportunities in the region.
Next year we hope to make our Apprenticeship Careers Fair even bigger, but until then, we will continue to inspire the young people of Cambridgeshire through our in-school Apprenticeship Talks and Cambridge LaunchPad’s Project Days.
"As Impington Village College, we were pleased to host this event for the third consecutive year. Once again, I was impressed by the enthusiasm and ambition displayed by our students. The highlight for me was seeing how engaged they were in learning about apprenticeship opportunities, particularly from the diverse range of Cambridge businesses that participated. Apprenticeships not only provide valuable skills and experience but also offer a direct connection to the dynamic and innovative world of Cambridge-based companies. It's essential for our students to explore what these businesses have to offer, as it opens doors to exciting career prospects right here in our local community. By providing insights into apprenticeships and showcasing the opportunities within Cambridge, we empower our students to make informed decisions about their futures, ensuring they have every opportunity to achieve their aspirations."
"It was wonderful to see how many students are actively exploring apprenticeships for their next step into employment. They really appreciated learning from employers about the range of roles and meeting people doing apprenticeships. The employer's support for this event was tremendous."
