1000 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE WELWYN/HATFIELD BOROUGH HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK WITH 50 LOCAL BUSINESSES AT A CAREERS FAIR THAT WAS HELD ON FRIDAY 7 FEBRUARY AT THE FIELDER CENTRE IN HATFIELD.

In its third year, The Generation Welwyn Hatfield Careers Fair, which was organised by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in conjunction with the Hertfordshire Futures, Hertfordshire Careers Hub and HOP highlighted different job sectors and opportunities open to young people.

Throughout the day, year 11 students from local schools had the opportunity to network with local businesses, finding out about roles and opportunities with brands and organisations including Tesco, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Morgan Sindall, Sky Studios, PayPoint, Services for Young People, Computacenter, The Royal Air Force, Herts Fire and Rescue service, and many more.  In the late afternoon residents, 450 students from any year group and their parents or carers, visited the fair to find out more about opportunities with these employers and more.  

The overall aims of the event were to: 

• Help residents and young people network with employers.
• Teach young people about a variety of local jobs and industries
• Educate students about the varied routes into work
• Enable teachers and school staff to interact and network with employers  

Max Holloway Leader of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council:

"We were proud to support this event, as it aligned with our mission to create a prosperous, vibrant, and inclusive community in Welwyn Hatfield. We believe that investing in the skills and talents of our young people is essential for the future success of our local economy and society. Thank you to all the employers who generously participated. Your presence and contribution were invaluable to our young people, as you provided them with real-world insights, guidance, and inspiration.” 

Steve Trotter- Hertfordshire Careers Hub Strategic Lead, Hertfordshire Futures

"It was fantastic to see such a diverse range of local employers actively engaging with the community. Many students have received offers for work experience and apprenticeship interviews, and it’s wonderful to hear that last year’s event led to numerous students securing work experience, apprenticeships, and degree apprenticeship offers directly from attending.

The schools do an excellent job preparing the students to make the event meaningful, and the employers’ stands are always interactive and engaging. It’s heartening to witness so many students having those ‘penny drop’ moments of inspiration. A big thank you to The Hertfordshire Careers Hub team, the HOP Team as well as Trisha Mulvee at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council for all her hard work in making this event possible.”

Chloe Sykes -Social Value Office, Morgan Sindall Property Services

“Morgan Sindall Property Services were delighted to attend another Generation Welwyn Hatfield event at the Fielder Centre, and to speak to so many students and staff about the opportunities and career paths that our organisation provides. Students were engaged and eager to learn about the multitude of roles available to them, and there was a lot of enthusiasm surrounding apprenticeships and work experience.

Events such as these are a brilliant way for us to engage with the wider community, and it is so important to inspire and raise awareness of potential career pathways for the next generation of the workforce. It was particularly impactful to see so many girls interested in our sector, as we are committed at MSPS to breaking down the barriers and stereotypes in construction and property services, in an increasingly diverse and inclusive industry. We appreciate all the work that went into this event and thank the organisers for generating these conversations with young people.”

Paul Grogan -Pre-employability and Work Placement Executive, Group Development Programme, Early Careers (11-18yrs) and Social Mobility, People Team Tesco

"At Tesco, we believe in nurturing the potential of young talent. Attending Generation Welwyn & Hatfield allows us to talk and connect with local students, inspiring and empowering them to build a successful future.”

Lauren Christy -Talent Manager Sky Studios Elstree

“The Generation Welwyn Hatfield career fair is a great way to get to hear from young people from the local area. Careers events like this play an important part in how Sky Studios Elstree can support young talent. We’re keen to share our passion for the screen industries and are delighted to offer career information and opportunities to help them consider their next steps and assist in making them the next generation of filmmakers.”