Local businesses to showcase career opportunities to future workforce

Thursday 15 December 2016 9.30 am - 2.30 pm

Wood Green Conference Centre

Free to exhibit or visit

Local businesses looking for the next generation of employees are being invited to showcase their company, products and services at EDGE’s annual Careers Fair on 15 December 2016. The Fair, which brings together forward-thinking local businesses and Huntingdonshire’s secondary schools, aims to inspire both businesses and young people to work together to create the skilled workforce that our district needs for the future.

EDGE organises this free, annual event as part of its on-going commitment to help local businesses develop training and skills programmes to manage their current and future needs as well as providing students in Huntingdon with advice about careers and apprenticeships; raising awareness about the realistic job opportunities the local labour market presents.

Rebecca Britton, Communities and Partnerships for Urban&Civic said: “Huntingdonshire has great potential for growth and it’s going to be important to have a skilled workforce ready if its ambitions are to be realised.  At Alconbury Weald alone, we will have numerous careers opportunities during the construction phase as well as at companies moving into the Enterprise Zone: once completely operational, the businesses at the Campus are expected to employ around 8,000 people.

“Local employers often express concern that young people aren’t interested in their sector and events like EDGE’s Careers Fair provide a fantastic opportunity for companies to promote their business, spark interest and inspire their prospective workforce.”

The Careers Fair will also provide a focus on apprenticeship opportunities, particularly relevant with the new apprenticeship levy coming into effect in spring next year.   The government’s commitment to invest in industry-driven apprenticeships to help build and up-skill the UK workforce means the way in which apprenticeships are funded is changing.

The levy is compulsory and is targeted at increasing UK employers’ commitment to developing their workforce.  The levy companies’ pay will be made available to them to fund apprenticeship training, which the government will supplement with a 10 per cent incentive bonus.  Companies taking on apprentices of 16-18 year olds will receive an additional £1,000 per placement in acknowledgement of the extra training and support this demographic may need.

Julie Drummond, EDGE skills coordinator, said: “Our Careers Fair is always well attended, with local businesses providing interactive stands that inspire and capture the attention of future employees.  We would encourage any local businesses thinking about their future pipeline of staffing requirements or exploring the opportunities provided by the introduction of the new apprenticeship standards to contact us to find out more.”

The Careers Fair is from 9.30am to 2.30pm on Thursday, 15 December 2016 at Wood Green Conference Centre, Godmanchester.  To book a free space at the event, please contact Julie Drummond on julie.drummond@huntingdonshire.gov.uk or 01480 388459.

Taking the lead on skills - breakfast discussion 7.45 am - 9.40 am

Join other like-minded businesses and organisation for breakfast on the morning of the event to discuss the skills landscape in Huntingdonshire and how you can shape it.  Hear about the exciting new initiatives happening in the region;

Speakers include:

• Cllr Robin Howe, Executive Leader of Huntingdonshire District Council
• The Greater Peterborough Greater Cambridgeshire Enterprise Partnership
• Urban&Civic

iMET - the new engineering, manufacturing and technology skills centre for Alconbury Weald

To reserve your free place click here