Lancaster University’s Careers Service are holding two careers fairs this year, catering to different career areas, after sustained criticism of the narrow range of opportunities exhibited in previous years.
For the first time, CEEC (the Centre for Employability Enterprise and Careers) is set to hold two separate Careers Fairs, to be held on consecutive days in the Great Hall Complex. The 28th October will stage the ‘Creative, Media, Public and Voluntary Sector Fair’, which, rather than featuring the large graduate recruiters that have typically dominated previous fairs, will showcase a number of companies from outside the commercial and industrial mainstream.The 29th October will stage the ‘Business, Finance, Science & Engineering Fair’, featuring the larger industrial companies more typical of previous Careers Fairs.
By diversifying the scope of the Careers Fair, CEEC hopes the event will be more useful and informative for students studying any discipline, rather than just those looking to enter the world of big business.
Careers Fairs have become an established fixture in any career-conscious student’s diary; a chance to network with recruiters with whom they may apply for jobs upon leaving University and entering the increasingly crowded jobs market. But previous years have seen Lancaster’s Careers Fairs come under heavy criticism for failing to cater to the diverse needs of the University’s students. Many have complained that the event appeared to be largely aimed at Management school students looking to enter the world of business, finance, or heavy industry, offering little for many others taking degrees in humanities or social sciences.
The range of employers set to be at the first fair on the 28th October is certainly nothing if not diverse. Names set to be present range from publishing company Random House, local voluntary organisation Greenforce, and the National Film & Television School from London. The 29th October will see an even wider range of industrial and financial companies than ever before, including IBM, Microsoft, and the Bank of America. Various Lancaster alumni will also be at hand to give information and advice. The two days look set to provide a far better range of employers than previous years.
CEEC have set up a webpage for the two fairs, hosting information on the recruiters attending, tips on how to get the most out of Careers Fairs, and Careers advice in general. The page can be accessed at http://careersfair.lancs.ac.uk/, or visit the Careers Centre at Alexandra Fair for further information.
