Hundreds of students inspired at apprenticeship recruitment fair

Apprentices

Employers from across the UK were in attendance at the Apprenticeships: Be Inspired 2019 event, offering hundreds of young people the chance to gain an apprenticeship.

Students were able to meet 77 employers, including Sky, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Mercedes Benz and Rolls Royce to kick-start their application process then and there.

Held at Cutlers Hall in Sheffield, 971 young people aged 15 to 18 were in attendance  looking to boost their employability skills and learn more about the opportunities available to them, preparing them for the apprenticeship route.

A group of students at the apprenticeship event

Councillor Jayne Dunn, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said:

“The event was buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm! Employers were accepting CV’s from hundreds of students and having conversations at length with many eager future stars of the workplace.

“I spoke with many of the students attending and they were all so excited to learn from many different industries and start their application at the event.

“Apprenticeships offer a fantastic career path for individuals of all ages and this event opened a huge door for many young people in Sheffield.”

The Apprenticeships: Be Inspired recruitment fair is organised by Opportunity Sheffield, the employment and skills service within Sheffield City Council who focus on creating a vibrant local economy where employment rates are high, people are equipped with the skills they need and work serves as a route out of poverty.

Corporal Adam Gilbert from The British Army said: “We go to a lot of recruitment events but this event is probably the best I’ve ever been to in terms of the number of employers and students who attend.

“The fair is definitely worth coming to – it’s about letting young people know about the range of opportunities available and explaining and allowing them to make an informed decision about their future.”

With each year, this event is seeing more students than ever before. Expected to grow, there are currently over 320 apprentices in learning with the council, working across the public, private and charity sectors.

The Apprenticeships: Be Inspired event was held on Wednesday 13 March.