Opportunities Ahead, our annual careers fair, will inspire teenagers about the diverse range of careers available in our region, opening their eyes to opportunities and motivating them to aim high. Meeting professionals from 50 leading businesses will enable them to learn about different career pathways and what skills they'll need to succeed in their futures. Schools struggle with the cost of transport to bring students to the event, so we need to raise funds to support them.
Cambridge is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK, a buoyant tech and life sciences hub - but it's also the most unequal, with high levels of poverty and disadvantage alongside great wealth. Even in more affluent areas, young people are unaware of the opportunities on their doorstep, and employers in turn are struggling to recruit people with the skills they need. By connecting young people with leading businesses, we are bringing the community together to create brighter futures.
Opportunities Ahead provides young people with a fantastic opportunity to build their network of business contacts and meet inspiring role models doing jobs they didn't know existed in industries which are recruiting. Alongside the interactive careers fair, students can take part in training sessions on essential employability skills, such as how to network effectively, building a CV or mastering the interview.
This project will allow 2500 teenagers to attend Opportunities Ahead 2018 and learn about career opportunities and develop the skills they'll need to secure work in the future. In previous years, students attending Opportunities Ahead have secured work experience, internships and apprenticeships as a result. They have also gained confidence and motivation. These opportunities have life-changing effects on young people and help employers to meet their future employees.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
