Careers Fair 2024

On Wednesday, MCS hosted its biennial Careers Fair – a mammoth event featuring more than 70 exhibitors, two careers seminars and approximately 400 pupils and parents. There were a wide range of different employment sectors present, each hosted by an expert exhibitor representing their particular field. The exhibitor stalls were in Big School and the Sports Hall, both of which were abuzz with energy throughout the evening, and we were delighted to welcome exhibitors from organisations as wonderfully divergent as Google, Thames Valley Police and the Foreign Office. We were also very pleased to be joined by over 30 pupils from our partner secondary schools, including Oxford Spires and John Mason School.

There were two careers seminars running in parallel to the exhibitor stalls. The first, on apprenticeships, was hosted by representatives from University of Oxford Apprenticeships. For those considering alternatives to university, the talks provided a clear explanation of the different levels of apprenticeship available, as well as the pros and cons of apprenticeship study versus university study. The second presentation, given by a representative of Oxford Brookes University Outreach Hub, was entitled  ‘Graduate careers and getting the most out of university’. The talk provided some very useful advice about maximising the chances of finding graduate employment by making the most of work placements, internships and university careers services.

The Fair was organised by Dr Roche, Head of Careers and Teacher of Physics, who commented “it was wonderful to walk through the exhibitor halls and experience so much energy, from both pupils and exhibitors alike”. Pupils welcomed the opportunity to meet exhibitors and learn more about the different career paths open to them after they leave school; Gordan (Upper Fourth) said “I really liked the buzz of the evening which made it fun, and the way things were laid out by careers areas helped you to speak to the right people”. Asked whether the fair helped him with his future plans, Gordan added “I spoke with a mixture of people from Finance, Architecture and Engineering who were all really friendly and helpful. The fair has definitely given me a much better idea about what I want to do in future.”

Feedback from the exhibitors after the event was also very positive, with many speaking highly of the pupils’ politeness and engagement. Alain Arbibe, a Film Producer from Arley & Co Productions commented “I really enjoyed spending time sharing my experiences with the pupils. I was impressed with the quality of the questions and the level of interest shown by the pupils and their parents”. Similarly, Dr Peter Sidgwick, Paediatric ICU Consultant at Great Ormond Street said that he “really enjoyed meeting the young people and was bowled over by their enthusiasm, pragmatism and overall engagement.”