Hear from experts from a range of sectors and get help to think about your next steps at the National Careers Service Virtual Careers Fair

Whether you are thinking about changing career, or taking your first steps into a new career, the National Careers Service has brought together speakers and resources for a Virtual Careers Fair to showcase opportunities in different sectors, and help you figure out your next move.

It’s not always easy to find a career that inspires you, especially without knowing what it’s like to work in a particular sector, or knowing the routes to get in. With that in mind, the National Careers Service is holding a Virtual Careers Fair on 27th-28th January. The fair is free to join and will give you the opportunity to hear from people doing the jobs and learn more about what to expect from different industries with a mix of live and pre-recorded content and resources.

The schedule includes speakers from organisations, such as BT and the NHS, talking about their current opportunities and holding Q&A sessions giving first-hand industry insight. The event will also have qualified National Careers Service advisers on hand throughout the day to provide advice and guidance, whether it’s talking further about the careers on display or answering any other questions you have about your next step.

The event is split into two days:

• Day 1 (27th Jan) – Exhibition Day - A chance to hear from organisations about their opportunities, and hear the experiences of people doing the jobs; what to expect, what skills you need, and routes in. As well as other useful careers resources.
• Day 2 (28th Jan) – Virtual Jobs Fair – join your local fair to see vacancies in your area.

Register now to book your place, get inspiration for a new career for 2021, and receive notifications as new sessions are added: http://nationalcareersservicevcf.eventbrite.com

Some sessions have limited numbers of tickets so book now to avoid disappointment.

In the South West and Oxfordshire Region, covering Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Bath, Swindon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, the virtual jobs fair will run on Thursday 28th January from 10am-1pm.

Jobs, apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities from across the region will be posted on the local Facebook and Twitter channels in three #JobsHour sessions:

• 10am-11am – #JobsHour for Dorset, Wiltshire, Swindon and Oxfordshire
• 11am-12pm - #JobsHour for Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth and Somerset
• 12pm-1pm - #JobsHour for Bath, Bristol and Gloucestershire

To get involved, follow the action on the region’s Facebook (@NCSouthWestandOxon) and Twitter (@NC_SWandOxon) channels or search Twitter for #SouthWestJobs or #OxfordshireJobs and click on ‘Latest’ to be part of the conversation.

Local careers advisers will be running two free webinars during the South West and Oxfordshire Virtual Jobs Fair to help people boost their job searching skills and write winning applications:

• 10am-11am – How to write a winning application. Register here for your free place
• 11am-12pm – Effective job searching. Register here for your free place.

Maninder Hayre, Head of Delivery for the National Careers Service in the South West and Oxfordshire Region, said:

“January is the time of year when people start to reflect and make plans and is perhaps a time of year that they need advice and guidance most of all. With the impact that COVID-19 has had it is even more important that people hear from employers and learning institutions about the opportunities they offer. Our Virtual Jobs Fair in November saw more than 200 vacancies posted across the South West and Oxfordshire region and we are encouraging local employers to get involved to help us reach and support more people back into work than ever. In addition, our advisers will be delivering webinars on job searching and applications to give jobseekers the best possible chance to succeed. “