Form the Future welcomed 460 young people to the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) annual Primary School Careers Fair at Cambridge Regional College on Tuesday, 4 March 2025. The event brought together 23 businesses and pupils aged 9 to 11 from ten Cambridgeshire schools, giving them the chance to explore a variety of careers and industries by engaging with professionals from different sectors.
Anne Bailey, CEO of Form the Future, emphasised the importance of such events, stating:
“We’re thrilled to be hosting the Primary School Careers Fair for the fourth consecutive year. Inspiring young people to explore future career possibilities is invaluable – it broadens horizons, raises aspirations and challenges stereotypes. A huge thank you to our business partners, CRC, and the Greater Cambridge Partnership for their support in making this event both exciting and meaningful.”
The event was officially opened by Councillor Elisa Meschini, Deputy Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council and GCP Chair, alongside Anne Bailey and Laura Kerry, Vice Principal for People and Commerce at Cambridge Regional College.
Councillor Meschini highlighted the significance of careers education in the region, saying:
“Connecting people to the expanding, exciting career opportunities in Greater Cambridge is key to our future – as to me, skills are just as an essential piece of infrastructure as new transport routes. Sharing knowledge of the jobs and training opportunities with our young people is important for our continued growth so we’d like to thank all the employers, training providers and young people who attended the fairs. Form the Future and CRC do such great work bringing everyone together which is why the Greater Cambridge Partnership is so pleased to fund these events.”
Groups of children moved around the fair, participating in hands-on activities that showcased the unique aspects of each career. The event featured a broad range of industries, from construction and banking to archaeology, engineering, planning, and fitness. Standout moments included practising CPR with Royal Papworth Hospital, discovering archaeology with the University of Cambridge Archaeology Department, exploring sustainability in food and farming with G’s Fresh, learning about genomics with Illumina, and testing their courage with rock climbing activities led by Fenland Adventure.
Laura Kerry of Cambridge Regional College underscored the role of early careers education, noting:
“Careers education is vital from primary school through to post-16 and adulthood. We’re pleased to host this event for younger pupils and to have welcomed even more employers in the afternoon to support over 1300 visitors including our students, school leavers from our region and local adult job seekers, as they plan their next steps, whether in education, employment, or career transitions at our Apprenticeships, Jobs and Careers Fairs.”
The careers fair, funded by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, is part of a wider programme that also included an afternoon session where hundreds of CRC students met with local employers to explore potential career paths. Kerry added: “Working with the GCP and Form the Future enables us to offer an incredibly valuable day for employers to connect with and inspire future talent and for our local community, whatever career stage they are at, to explore and find great career opportunities.”
