Area's largest jobs, apprenticeships and careers fair in October

Warwickshire County Council will be among the organisations providing advice at the area’s largest free Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair at the Ricoh Arena in October.

The Wasps-sponsored Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair, organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, will take place in Hall 3 at The Ricoh between 10am-6pm on Thursday October 15 to coincide with Work Experience Week.

And the broad range of companies and employers represented will include Warwickshire County Council with advisors from its Apprentice Hub on hand to talk to young people and parents.

The county council is a passionate advocate of apprenticeships, employing dozens of apprentices within the council and doing all it can to encourage businesses to consider that route into recruiting and honing young talent.

As well as the county council, companies in attendance at the Jobs Fair will be as diverse as Travis Perkins, NHS, BAM Construction and Willmott Dixon. Education-providers will also be well-represented by City College Coventry, Henley College Coventry, the Warwickshire College Group, Hereward College, Stratford College and North Warwickshire & Hinckley College plus Coventry University and the University of Warwick.

The event has again been organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership following its success last year when over 2,000 young people and 400 parents attended, leading to 500 apprentices being signed-up by local firms.

Rachael Stewart, of the CWLEP, said the fair was free to attend and free for exhibitors to come along.

“The Jobs, Apprenticeships and Careers Fair was a tremendous success last year,” she said.

“It is aimed at students in years 10-13 and their parents/carers and 30 employers have already confirmed they will be coming along which underlines just how useful they found it.

"It is great that employers make their stands as interactive as possible because that really engages with students and the CWLEP organises the fair to improve skills in the area.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for students to be inspired by the range of options and opportunities that are available for their future careers."

The Jobs Fair underlines the region's commitment to helping young people into constructive employment, a commitment on which Warwickshire County Council's Apprenticeship Hub team is working full-time. The event will take place at a time when the Government has set a target of three million new apprentices to be hired over the next five years.

There will be free parking in car park B at the Ricoh Arena and employers, colleges, universities and training providers wishing to attend should email contact@cwlep.com

* Warwickshire Apprenticeship Hub offers free support and advice to local firms who may be thinking of hiring an apprentice and can help them find out whether apprenticeships could be right for their business. The hub has created more than 120 apprenticeship opportunities with small businesses across Warwickshire, in addition to creating 60 apprenticeship opportunities with the county council. 

Find out more from the Apprenticeship Hub by emailing apprentice@warwickshire.gov.uk calling 01926 418040 or visiting http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/getanapprentice