Posted 20 February 2018

January saw Airedale Academy hosting its first ever careers fair, aimed at broadening the horizons of the students and helping them make informed choices for their future. The event, organised by Progression Officer Tracey Heptinstall and Careers Advisor Jo Sergeant, brought together a variety of providers from colleges to universities, the army to the fire service. Throughout the day students from Years 10 to 13 were given the opportunity to ask questions of the providers and gain advice and support on their next steps, with the event then continuing into the evening with plenty of parents in attendance. Tracey Heptinstall said, “It was a great event, and it was fantastic to see so many students and parents attend. Hopefully the students got a lot out of it and were inspired by the fantastic opportunities that are available to them across the region.”

Providers also got in touch with the school following the event, calling the students “the politest students we’ve come across in the history of us attending careers fairs!” The students themselves praised the wide range of providers on offer, including some that they rarely get the chance to speak to or that they had never even heard of before.

Year 10 Form Tutor Miss Blakie said, “I took my form to the fair and they were fantastic. Some really unlikely candidates were taking notes and it was such a pleasure to see them all so enthused! All of my form said how beneficial it was and were still looking at leaflets together this morning. They went in with clear ideas about their future, and speaking to people gave them different avenues to explore too.”