Brooke Weston Academy recently held its annual Careers Fair, welcoming over 45 exhibitors, including local colleges, businesses, and universities. The event aimed to inspire students from Year 7 to Year 13, and it certainly succeeded in creating a buzz around the academy.

Students had the opportunity to engage with representatives from various institutions, gaining valuable insights into future career and education opportunities.

Ben Y12 said, ‘It was so beneficial to hear more about the opportunities on offer and guidance on how to get there. The careers day encouraged me to sign up for lots of open days, like Derby and East Anglia. It was a 10 out of 10 day!'

Eva Y11 said, ‘I am grateful for the opportunities to speak to people and I enjoyed speaking to the universities about courses and what A-levels are needed.’

Mason Y10 said, ‘Northampton College told me about the sculpting I could do as a stonemason because it’s my dream, and it’s the fifth best in the country.’

Younger students also found the event beneficial. Caleb Y7 said, ‘I’m really grateful for the Careers Fair because it showed me all the different universities that interested me. I enjoyed speaking to universities that had business involved, because I’ve always wanted to have a strong and developed education in business.’

Gabrielle Y7 was inspired by the insights into Law, saying, ‘The Careers Fair gave me a lot of insight into what I could do. Before, I knew I wanted to do Law, but I didn’t know exactly what. The Careers Fair showed me what I can do, how, and at what stages. I now think I want to be a commercial lawyer who guides a company on the legal side.’

Laura Y8 initially felt uncertain about her interests, but with staff guidance, she discovered she could pursue her passion for art. She said, ‘ I spoke to Tresham College about the art courses, and I realised that there are many art topics which I didn’t know about, but now would love to do at Tresham.’

Joshua Y9 said ‘I spoke to a logistics and engineering company that was based in Northamptonshire, and they told me about the different careers available within that engineering environment.’

Exhibitors were impressed with the students' engagement and questions. One exhibitor commented, ‘It was a great opportunity to talk to the students about apprenticeships. Most of the students understood what an apprenticeship was and had lots of questions. I was particularly impressed by the number of younger students who asked lots of questions and were interested in the apprenticeships that we offer.'

Amber Colquhoun, Director of Digital Strategy, Careers & Work-Related Learning said, 'A massive thank you to all who volunteered and made the event a success. Your commitment to inspiring the younger generation, promoting your provider/business, and sharing apprenticeship opportunities is very much appreciated.'

In attendance:

Aston University, B/S/H/ Home Appliances, Balfour Beatty, Bangor University, BCAL Consulting, BGU, Cardiff University, Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University, Central Co-op, Coventry University, Ford & Slater, Home Instead East Northants, Jaguar Land Rover, Kettering Town FC Education Programme, Kier Transportation, Lancaster University, Mana Education, Morrisons, Moulton College, NHS - Kettering General Hospital, Northampton College, Northlands Veterinary Group, Nottingham Trent University, Oxford Brookes, Pen Green Research Base, Project Trust, Rockleigh Ltd, Royal Navy, Soiltechnics, Starting Off, Stephen Sanderson Transport, TGW Ltd, Tresham College, UCFB (University Campus of Football Business), Unilever, University College Birmingham, University of Derby, University of East Anglia, University of Leicester, University of Northampton, University of Sheffield, Wilson Browne Solicitors, Winvic Construction.

We hope you enjoyed the day and look forward to another inspiring Careers Fair next year!