Member Article

Kickstarting Careers With Work Discovery Week 2014

Pupils and their parents from across the North East are being given the chance to learn more about apprenticeships, training and employment at a special event being held this month.

On Monday June 30, the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, will host a free Careers and Apprenticeship Fair as part of Work Discovery Week 2014.

The event, featuring training providers and employers from across the North East, will be open to 16 to 18-year-olds from 3pm until 5pm, with a separate session, sponsored by Grundfos, exclusively for parents from 5pm until 8pm.

Attendees at both sessions will have the chance to visit a variety of exhibition stands covering everything from further and higher education and training to apprenticeships and employment in industries as varied as engineering and hospitality.

The student session, in association with Sunderland City Provider Network, will also include a series of drop-in workshops on CV writing and interview techniques, led by staff from Northumbrian Water, Gentoo and Liebherr Sunderland Works.

Denise Wilson, Chair of the Sunderland City Provider Network and Trust Secretary at Springboard Sunderland, which is also supporting the event, said: “As part of Work Discovery Week 2014 the Careers and Apprenticeship Fair will not only offer young people and their parents the chance to access information and support but will also give them the opportunity to engage directly with training providers and employers, many of which have real vacancies available.”.

The Careers and Apprenticeship Fair, which will also be visited by students from Sunderland secondary schools during the day, forms part of the wider Work Discovery Week programme, designed to bring young people in Sunderland together with businesses across the North East.

The week-long initiative, developed by Sunderland’s Economic Leadership Board – Business:Schools Task Group, was pioneered in 2013 and has since been hailed as an example of best practice in the UK.

Along with the Careers and Apprenticeship Fair, this year’s event will feature a variety of challenges, company visits and workshops, all supported by core partners Sunderland City Council, SAFC and North East Chamber of Commerce.

The event, retuning on Monday June 30, is also being sponsored by a number of North East businesses, including Nissan, Bidvest 3663, Arriva, Gentoo, the University of Sunderland and Sunderland College, with additional support from The Bridges, Accenture, Liebherr Works, Calsonic Kansei, Northumbrian Water, TRW, Grundfos and Sunderland Marriott Hotel.

Cllr Paul Watson, Leader Sunderland City Council, said: “Work Discovery Week 2014 looks set to be bigger and better than ever, with the addition of an evening careers fair for 16 to 18-year-olds and parents, helping to extend its reach beyond school level.

“I’m sure that everyone who attends will see a real benefit and hopefully it will help businesses from across the region to discover some real stars of the future.”

For more information about Work Discovery Week 2014, including the free Careers and Apprenticeship Fair, visit www.facebook.com/WDWSunderland or follow @WDWSunderland on Twitter.

A number of sponsorship opportunities are also available, please contact Sorted PR on 0191 2656111 for more details.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sorted PR .