Our Maidstone Apprenticeship Fair is always one of the highlights of my year.
I host it with 6 of my Kent MP colleagues to bring together local students with all kinds of amazing apprenticeship opportunities. Last Friday it returned for its fifth year, and it was bigger than ever,
We had well over 1,500 students from 32 schools across Kent attending the fair, to meet nearly 70 employers from a wide range of sectors – including construction, finance, healthcare, hospitality, the military, and many more. This included large national employers like Amazon, BAE Systems and the NHS, through to local employers like Shepherd Neame and Gallagher Group.
It’s great to see local students’ eyes being opened to some of the brilliant opportunities out there.
University can be a good option but it’s far from the only one. Apprenticeships are a fast-track to develop skills while working and earning, and you can find them across all kinds of sectors.
The Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, who starter her career as an apprentice in a car factory, is a big supporter of the Fair. She said that “my apprenticeship was my golden ticket to the world of business and laid the foundations for the career I’ve had since.
The Maidstone Apprenticeship Fair is a brilliant chance for young people in Kent to hear more about the opportunities available to them and get advice about how an apprenticeship can help them make their next step.”
Leaving school and entering the world of work is a big step in all of our lives. The more students know about what’s out there, the better they can plan their future.
If you or someone you know might like to attend the fair next year, or if you're a business interested in exhibiting, please do get in touch with my office for more information.
