Businesses urged to sign up for Suffolk skills fair

Why it matters: The FutureSkills Fair gives businesses a direct route to thousands of students who could become their future workforce, at a time when organisers say collaboration between employers is more important than ever.

The details: The event will take place at Suffolk New College on Thursday, 22 October. More than 3,000 students have signed up to attend and meet potential employers.

• Forty-five businesses have signed up so far, alongside 13 sponsors
• Sizewell C is the headline sponsor, alongside Anglian Larder
• Other sponsors include Associated British Ports, Bacton Logistics, Barnes Construction, Cory Brothers, Hudson Group, John Grose Group, J McCann Ltd, Kier, Rose Builders, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and Suffolk New College

For context: The fair was originally held at Trinity Park before Suffolk New College took over hosting it in 2024, following a pause during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

What they're saying: Organiser Charlotte Rossiter, Suffolk New College's Events Supervisor, said businesses need to work together to support young people. "Earlier this year the government published figures suggesting almost one million young people are not in education, training or employment," she said. "So now more than ever we need to work together to inspire the next generation."

Several of this year's sponsors explained why they are backing the event.

Elliott Murphy, Skills Development Manager at Sizewell C, said: "Sizewell C represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Suffolk. As well as creating thousands of jobs and training opportunities during construction, the project will leave a lasting skills legacy that benefits the region for decades to come.

"To help young people make the most of those opportunities, we're investing in skills today. Through our College on the Coast partnership with Suffolk New College, and by supporting events such as the Suffolk FutureSkills Fair, we are helping the next generation build the skills, confidence, and ambition they need to succeed in the careers of tomorrow."

Mike Bowden, from Cory Brothers, said: "We're delighted to showcase our business and the logistics sector to the next generation. This important event underlines our partnership with Suffolk New College building a clear path for students to enter the workplace with knowledge and clarity."

Clive Moffat, Development Manager for Suffolk Streetlighting, part of Suffolk County Council, said: "Events like the FutureSkills Fair give young people the opportunity to meet employers, understand the different careers available to them and see where those opportunities could take them. For us, getting involved is about helping to build those connections and creating clearer pathways into our industry.

"I'd encourage other businesses to get involved too. Giving even a small amount of time can make a real difference in helping young people understand the opportunities available locally and what employers are looking for."

James Martin, Operations Manager at Kier, said: "Events like the FutureSkills Fair play a vital role in connecting young people with employers and helping them discover careers they may never have previously considered. As a construction business working to deliver the Sizewell C nuclear project, we're proud to support initiatives that invest in future talent and create opportunities across East Anglia.

"We'd encourage other organisations to get involved and help inspire the next generation, while showcasing the wide range of rewarding careers available in our region."

Jenny Loyd, who is co-organising the event on behalf of the college, said: "This is the third time we have hosted this event that gets bigger and better every year. We would like to thank all of the businesses who have already signed up to support us. It's a great opportunity for them to put themselves in front of thousands of students who will potentially be their employees of the future. We would urge anyone who wants to get involved to get in touch with us so they can play their part in supporting the next generation."

What's next: Businesses wanting to take part can email charlotte.rossiter@suffolk.ac.uk or JennyLoyd@suffolk.ac.uk.

The bottom line: With thousands of students set to attend and just over three weeks until the event, organisers are making a final push to get more Suffolk businesses involved in shaping the region's future workforce.

Don't forget: If you enjoy our content, please add Ipswich.co.uk as a "preferred source" on Google so you can easily find more of the content you value.

This article cost us ~£21 to produce

It's free for you to read thanks to the generous support of our partners. Please support us by supporting them.