Last Friday, the Maidstone Apprenticeship Fair returned for its sixth year, kicking off at 9:30 am at Maidstone Leisure Centre. Over the course of the day, more than 1,000 local students connected with around 50 employers from both local and national organisations to explore their career options.
I organise and host this Fair every year with my Kent MP colleagues - Helen Grant MP, Laura Trott MP, Katie Lam MP and Tom Tugendhat. We aim to inspire students by showing them how many different career options there are for them, and give them the opportunity to speak to potential employers. One of the best part of the event for me is meeting apprentices who got started out at a previous fair, and are now thriving in their careers. They pass their enthusiasm onto the students they meet too.
While university is a great path for some, technical and vocational education routes can be the right next step for many school-leavers. Apprenticeships are an excellent way for young people to gain skills while earning a salary, and they are available across many different industries.
This year’s event included employers ranging from global names like Google and British Airways to many local businesses. Leaving school and stepping into the working world is a large milestone, and the more students know about their options, the more chance they have of embarking on the right career path for them.
