Norfolk Skills and Careers Festival 2020

The Norfolk Skills and Careers Festival takes place on 4 and 5 March 2020 at the Norfolk Showground .

A free to attend interactive event aimed at 14-24 year olds to help inspire them for their future careers and to demonstrate a range of options available to them.

Attendance at the event will provide evidence to support schools to achieve the requirements of Gatsby Benchmarks 2 and 5.

How will attending the event support my school/college?

Does your school/college need support to improve its Gatsby Benchmark scoring? The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework of 8 guidelines that define the best careers provision in schools and colleges. The Careers Strategy is built around them, and they make a great place to start for planning or improving your programme. Attending the Norfolk Skills and Careers Festival 2020 will help provide evidence towards benchmarks 2 (students should have access to good-quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities) and 5 (every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace).

The Festival is free to attend for young people at school/college, those in Alternative Provision and with Re-engagement Providers, those at risk of NEET, home educated young people and those not in education, employment or training. It is also free to attend for parents and educational professionals supporting young people. The event will be open on Wednesday 4 March 2020 between 9:30am and 3:30pm (last entry at 1:30pm). Please note the first hour is a quiet hour, 9:30-10:30am and is exclusively for SEND young people. Booking for this session is not available to mainstream schools. The festival is also open Thursday 5 March 2020 between 9:30am and 1:30pm (last entry at 11:30am).

It is the only major skills and careers event to take place in Norfolk and provides a much-needed bridge between business and education. This is a fantastic chance to discover the huge range of opportunities available across the country and motivate, inspire and offer young people the chance to take the next steps towards your career. It will offer the information and drive necessary to turn a student's favourite subjects into the right qualifications for an apprenticeship, degree or job.

With over 80 exhibitors from across a wide range of industries, this is not an event to miss.

The Festival will be structured around thirteen sectors covering Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, ICT - Digital and Creative, Financial and Business Services, Leisure, Tourism and Culture, Food and Farming, Science and Innovation, Health and Social Care, Construction and Logistics, Education and Training, Public Services, Retail and Enterprise. The Careers Advice zone will be available for students and teachers to drop in and speak to guidance professionals and apprenticeship specialists offering impartial information, advice and guidance.

Schools bringing groups of over 20 students will need to pre-book a 2-hour slot. Groups of less than 20 students do not require a formal booking. Young people not in a school setting are welcome to attend with parents/cares/guardians - registration is on arrival.

A teachers and school information pack will be available to download with pre and post event activities and suggestions to engage young people with the event.

For information on how to book and available transport subsidies visit the Norfolk Skills website and register online

The Careers and Enterprise Company's research on careers events shows evidence of improved employment outcomes for young people taking part in careers events, and a reduced chance of being Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). 'Careers events with employers can have a positive impact on employability skills and educational engagement for young people.

Visitor Information

This is the only major skills and careers festival to take place in Norfolk and provides a much-needed bridge between business and education. It is a fantastic opportunity to discover the huge range of opportunities available across the county and to motivate, inspire and offer young people the chance to take the next steps towards their career. It will offer information and drive necessary to turn a student's favourite subject/s into the right qualification for an apprenticeship, degree or job.

The Festival will be structured around 13 sectors covering:

• Energy
• Advanced manufacturing
• ICT Digital and Creative
• Financial and Business Services
• Leisure
• Tourism and Culture
• Food and farming
• Science and Innovation
• Health and Social Care
• Construction and Logistics
• Education and Training
• Public Services
• Retail and Enterprise

The Advice Lounge will be available for students to drop in and speak to guidance professionals and apprenticeship specialists offering impartial careers information, advice and guidance.

Attending the event

The Festival is free to attend for young people at school/college, those in Alternative Provision and with
re-engagement providers, those at risk of NEET, home educated young people and those not in education, employment or training. The event will be open on Wednesday 4 March and Thursday 5 March, please note opening times and the information on the quiet hour on 4 March for SEND students.

Schools bringing groups of over 20 students will need to pre-book a 2-hour slot. Groups of less than 20 students do not require a formal booking, however they can use the online form but should not book a time slot. Young people not in a school setting are welcome to attend with parents/carers/guardians - registration is on arrival.

A teachers and school staff information pack with pre and post event activities and suggestions to engage young people is available to download from the Norfolk Skills and Careers Festival website, where you can also find information on the travel subsidy.