We were really pleased to be able to support the West Cumbria SME Skills Fair at Energy Coast UTC on Wednesday 23 October 2024.

Students from Energy Coast UTC and beyond attended the first SME Skills Fair which gave them the chance to meet employers and discuss the wide range of career opportunities available in West Cumbria.

The collaborative event with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce includes demonstrations as well as detailed question and answer sessions with leading businesses from across the area.

_{Kerryann Wilson, head of Energy Coast University Technical College, with pupils at the skills fair.}

Around 150 teenagers from Energy Coast University Technical College and beyond attended the fair which gave them the chance to meet employers who may well be looking to recruit in the near future.

_{Tom Duggan managing director of Woodward SHE Ltd.}

Groups of around 20 students each heard from a panel made up of three business leaders drawn from sectors as diverse as security and health and safety to electrical engineering, marketing and accountancy.

Alongside discussions ranging from how best to start up in business to whether college courses could be taken alongside full-time work, practical demonstrations were held during the day-long event.

Parents too were invited to attend to ask more questions about work and training opportunities.

_{Kevin Warman of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce}

“We’re delighted with how the day has gone,” Kevin Warman, local skills improvement plan engagement manager for Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, said. ”We may well change the format but only to make it even more accessible and positive for the students to get involved.”

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Adapted from the original article on Cumbria Business Crack here: https://businesscrack.co.uk/2024/10/24/students-welcome-inaugural-west-cumbria-skills-fair/