Cheshire College – South and West hosted the Cheshire and Warrington Pledge Partnership Town Wide Careers and Education Fairs at all three Campuses between October and November, with over 180 exhibitors attending in total.

Students from local secondary schools in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester were invited to attend the events, along with Cheshire College’s own cohort of students, and members of the general public from 4pm-6pm.

At all three events, over 5,000 students from 28 secondary schools (including over 1,800 Cheshire College students) sought advice, information and inspiration on their next step into careers and jobs from the many exhibitors that were at the event including Bakkavor, Bentley Motors, British Army, Cheshire Hospitals Trust, NHS, AstraZeneca, Stellantis and Bank of America.

There were also multiple higher education, further education and independent training providers present.

Trevor Langston, Pledge Lead said, “Our collaboration with Cheshire College is key and our role to help young people to understand the opportunities available to them locally, the skills employers are looking for and the relevant pathways help every young person to take their best next step.”

Director of Marketing and School Partnerships, Jordan Swift, said that the events had been a great success, and a vital resource for students: “In an increasingly dynamic employment market, it is vital that our students gain access to local and national employers and education providers, allowing them to explore the breadth of opportunities available to them.

“We are so thankful to the employers and providers who supported the event. It is encouraging to see so many employers, charities and educational institutions sharing a common vision to empower the next generation. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback and we have no doubt that that these Careers Fairs will be mutually beneficial for students and employers alike.”

The Cheshire and Warrington Pledge Partnership is currently a fully funded programme which creates a sustainable bond helping bridge the gap between local employers and educators, so that young people develop the right skills for their future careers.