MP Jack Abbott says FutureSkills Fair is ‘eye-opening for youngsters in terms of opportunities on their doorstep’
Over 3000 youngsters from around 50 Suffolk schools got the chance to chat to over 70 employers at an annual careers event.
The occasion called The Suffolk FutureSkills Fair was held at Suffolk New College for the second year in a row.
Learners aged between 11 and 14 were given the chance to take part in interactive activities where they found out about job prospects in everything from the army to zoology.
The idea is to inspire young people to be positive about their futures, and organiser from the college, Charlotte Rossiter, was delighted with how the occasion was received.
She said: “It was a great day that showcased a variety of industries to young people so that they can look ahead with confidence and excitement in terms of their futures. The community really came together to support us, and I’d like to thank all of our sponsors, industry partners, the schools, youngsters and college staff for making the day such a great success.”
Faith, 12, from Stoke High School, was one of the attendees. Faith said, “Today has helped me make a decision about my future.”
Marianne, 12, is also from Stoke High School. She said: “I most enjoyed the music zone because I like performing and I hope to be a performer when I grow up.”
Kamil Khoury is the managing director for Anglian Larder, a contract catering company. Kamil said: “We have used this as an opportunity to link in with the college and give students a real understanding of what it takes (to make a name for yourself in hospitality), what opportunities there are in industry and do something for the community.”
Warren Salmons is the business development manager for Morgan Sindall in the Eastern counties. Warren said, “We are a building contractor and we are a proud industry partner with the college. We sponsored the construction area (at the FutureSkills Fair) and we want to highlight the opportunities within construction. Events like this are really important as we need a pipeline of talent to come through, and we need to recruit staff for the future.”
Dom Freeman is a used car sales executive for John Grose Group working out of the Ipswich branch. Dom said: “We are here to show youngsters what the motor industry is all about and show them what goes on behind the scenes. In this day and age, it’s important to get young people to think about what they are going to do next. I think what the college is doing is great.”
Jack Abbott MP also attended. He said: “One of my biggest priorities as an MP is to support young people and give them pathways. This sort of FutureSkills Fair is exactly what we need to be doing. We have 3000 young people who have come through the door, with dozens of employers from the region giving an insight into what lays ahead, so it’s a day I’m proud to support. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was 14 or 15 years old, so to have this event at Suffolk New College is eye-opening for so many youngsters in terms of the opportunities that are on their doorstep.”
Elliot Murphy is a skills development manager at Sizewell C. Elliot said: “This event is unique and we are working with Suffolk New College to try and attract thousands of kids into our industries and inspire them in terms of their futures. It’s been fantastic.”
Abi Debrah, 18, is a cyber security degree apprentice with Sizewell C. Abi added: “We have been talking to young people telling them about opportunities (at Sizewell C). I think the event is good. When I was their age, I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I think it’s a chance to get an idea of everything that is out there, so they know what they are doing when it comes to either going to university or getting jobs.”
