On Saturday the 25th of November, hundreds of young people, mainly aged between 14-24, took the DLR line to ExCel London for the yearly jobs and careers fair hosted in East London.
The event lasted from 9:30 am to 4 pm and offered up to 35,000 live jobs, training and apprenticeships under one roof for free. Established household names such as Amazon and ALDI were present, but so were colleges and universities seeking to promote their institutions to the next generation. Over 100 potential employers were present at the fair, answering questions about themselves and handing out leaflets and merchandise to interested young people.
The free event was accompanied by stalls selling food and drink and attractions such as a Ford Mustang and a model Formula 1 car on show. The response to the event was overwhelmingly positive, with 16-year-old secondary school student Saran Karunakaran saying:
I found the event incredibly eye-opening and engaging. I got to see lots of different opportunities and it helped me consider what I wish to do in the future. I didn't mind the free stuff either!
It was safe to say the majority of people, like Saran, found the fair very useful and informative as they navigate an exciting, but also chaotic part of their lives. Not only did they get an experience of interacting with employers, but also learned about the next steps they can take in their lives, such as the recently formed T-Levels, equivalent to three A-Levels. If any of you went to the event, comment on how your experience was!
