CAREERS FAIR

Invite business leaders from your local community into your school to take part in a careers fair.

What is a Careers Fair?

Careers Fairs allow teachers to bring leaders from fast-growing local businesses into schools.

These events can take place all year round. Companies will set up stalls so that students are able to informally approach lots of different employers and talk to them personally. It is important to note that there should be no expectations of any job opportunities being offered by business leaders at a careers fair - it is not a job fair - but this is a great way for students to experience a wide range of businesses in their local community and for businesses to begin to build their talent pipeline.

100% of net new jobs created in Europe in the last five years, are with companies less than five years old (The Scale Up Report on UK Economic Growth, 2014). Therefore, it is important to have representatives from these businesses at your careers fairs, since they will be the ones hiring in the future. We aim to ensure that you have representatives from fast growing companies and small to medium sized businesses - not just large corporates.

What is the impact of a Careers Fair?

Careers Fairs are an excellent way for students to hear what local companies have on offer. Students can talk to different employers, gain an understanding of what their jobs entail or the different roles available, and the skills that are needed to be successful in today’s economy. This is an informal setting, where students can ask any questions they may have.

Representatives from companies may bring business cards, leaflets, free samples or some technology to showcase to students.

Impact quotes:

“For pupils deciding what to do post-18, visits to Higher Education settings, employers, and apprenticeship providers can be valuable (sometimes through attending careers fairs). So too can participating in application and interviewing workshops.”

This encounter will help and support you to meet the following Gatsby Benchmarks:

Benchmark 1: A stable careers programme
Our digital platform enables time-poor educators to create a structured careers programme quickly and simply. We provide educators with clear guidance on the types of events they can book and, using smart algorithms, make recommendations on which speakers and volunteers will have the most impact.

Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employee

Our service connects children and young people directly with business leaders from their local communities. Our digital platform recommends a varied programme of careers encounters including career talks, speed mentoring, enterprise activities and workplace visits, all of which can be booked instantly through our platform.

Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education

We enable educators to connect with a wide range of employers and employees who can speak to young people about their career path. By providing a diverse perspective on how they have approached their careers, students will be able to understand the different academic and vocational routes that are available to them. Careers Fairs are a great setting in which to showcase FE and HE settings in amongst the opportunities provided by other employers.

Benchmark 8: Personal guidance

Using our clever digital platform, Founders4Schools is able to take into consideration the individual needs of educators and students. This means we can guide them towards encounter types and potential speakers to ensure they have the greatest impact. So, after your careers fair is complete we will be able to recommend the next most relevant encounter type for your young people.

Curricular Mapping and useful research

From our research we found that this encounter type is most appropriate for the development of young people from 11-18. Do read the full report to get more information and context on this!

Get Started

We understand that your time as an educator is limited, which is why we have made our service as quick and easy as possible.

We will reach out to Business Leaders on your behalf and update you every step of the way, until the visit is completed.

Simply click the link below to search for Business Leaders in your local area and get started.