The fair took place at Teesside University London and was organised by Loughborough University London in partnership with all Here East-based campuses, including UCL, Staffordshire University London and LMA. Around 200 students attended, meeting with approximately 20 employers offering live vacancies in and around the Stratford area and across central London. Employers on the day included the West Ham United Foundation, Savills, GLL, Royal Museums Greenwich, Reed Recruitment, Jikoni London and a wide range of other local organisations offering flexible opportunities suited to student schedules. The event was designed to do something different, focusing on part-time, casual and volunteering opportunities that help students cover day-to-day costs or gain experience while completing their degrees.
One student commented:
It was very rewarding to attend this event. I got the opportunity to interact with employers directly which was very different from the traditional way of putting in an application online without physically meeting employers.
Paulo Borges-Garcez, from West Ham United foundation, shared his experience of the day:
Our engagement at the Students Jobs Fair was incredibly rewarding. We met a diverse group of promising candidates exploring opportunities across a wide range of industries. Throughout the day, we highlighted how sport — and football in particular — can play a powerful role in developing key employability skills and supporting students to become job ready. We also guided students through live vacancies on the West Ham United website, helping them understand how their skill sets could transfer to available roles and how best to articulate this within their CVs. Since the fair, we’ve seen a high volume of follow ups and continue to work with several students as they take their next steps towards building meaningful and successful careers.
The event was widely seen as a positive step forward, giving students direct access to employers local to the Here East campus and providing practical support for those balancing academic study with the realities of living costs in London. Organisers hope to build on the success of the fair and continue creating opportunities that connect students with flexible work close to where they study.
All photos used with permission and taken by Ari Greenberg at AriGreenMedia.