Bracknell Forest Careers Event
25th January 2012
9.30am to 3.30pm Closed sessions for school groups only
5pm to 8pm Open session for everyone to attend
The Capitol Building
Southern Industrial Area
Oldbury (Off Mill Lane)
Bracknell
RG12 8FZ
More than 1,400 young visitors flocked to the Bracknell Forest Careers Event to get information and advice from employers, training and education providers and volunteer organisations about future job prospects.
The day-long event was organised by Bracknell Forest Partnership, East Berkshire Education Business Partnership and business sponsors from across the borough.
More than 75 exhibitors put up stands at The Capitol Building.
Among the major local businesses taking part were Panasonic, Syngenta and Dell, together with public service employers such as Bracknell Forest Council, Thames Valley Police and Bracknell Forest Homes, volunteers groups like Bracknell Voluntary Action and education providers such as Bracknell & Wokingham College.
The closed session during the day welcomed around 1,000 year 11 students from across the borough’s secondary schools. They were brought to the event courtesy of First Buses, which provided free transport throughout the day.
Also making the day possible were ITM Ltd, which provided the technology; Sainsbury’s, which kept the exhibitors and volunteers going with sandwich lunches; and Berkshire Media Group, which built this website.
The groups of 15 and 16 year olds saw presentations from among others, John Kemp, Direzione Commercial & Marketing – Aftersales, who talked about apprenticeships at Ferrari and had brought along one of the super cars for visitors to admire.
The students were then free to visit the marketplace stands, pick up information, advice and ideas about the various routes to the world of work.
The evening session, which was open to young people from other school year groups and their parents and carers, welcomed more than 400 visitors, many of whom had pre-booked appointments for CV and interview skills advice.
David Cook, chairman of the Bracknell Forest Economic; Skills Development Partnership, said: “This event was hugely important to the young people of Bracknell Forest and we are delighted it was such a success.
“Exhibitors, the sponsors, the visitors, both young and older, were really impressed and we’re very pleased that the students took advantage of the vast pool of ideas, information and advice that was available on the day.
“We also hope they will continue to make use of the website in the months to come.”
Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, Bracknell Forest Council’s executive member for planning, transportation and economic development, said: “The response to this fantastic Partnership event has been overwhelmingly positive”.
