Osborne stand at Careers Fair was a big hit for students at Grove Academy

Osborne embrace opportunities to promote the variety of exciting roles and career pathways available in the construction industry and took part in a careers fair at Grove Academy School, Slough.  Facilitated by Learning to Work, the fair enabled 1,600 students to gain an insight into the world of work through networking with local businesses.

Osborne Property Services Apprentice Plumber, Saadaad, and Social Value Manager, Sairah, attended the event to inspire students and talk about the different opportunities available to young people across our business.

Engaging with the young people, we heard some enthusing stories from the students about their career aspirations. Some were set on becoming architects or engineers, while others were interested in finance or property management. Saadaad spoke about how apprenticeships could play a significant role in their career journeys, equipping them with skills and experience to help them succeed whilst still getting paid.  Sharing his apprenticeship journey, he spoke positively about the many benefits it has bought him.

Working with the young people, Sairah talked about the importance of developing essential skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. These skills are imperative to our property services businesses success, and we wanted to convey these life skills are essential to equip them for their career pathways.

Creating a practical activity around the value of soft skills, we presented them with a challenge – should they choose to accept!  They were asked to identify the top three soft skills required in specific job roles within our business. In teams, they worked well together to communicate effectively, sharing ideas. Students were rewarded with prizes for their efforts, with many students returning to stand to do the challenge again!

At the end of the day, we felt like we had succeeded in educating and inspiring the students of Grove Academy. We provided them with a clearer picture of the property services business world, explained the apprenticeship opportunities available, and informed them about the highly coveted soft skills that are required in any industry. The careers fair was a fantastic opportunity for us to meet with students and help them lay the foundation for their future career goals.

Student Feedback

‘This was a really fun experience and I’d do it again!’

‘I have realised the opportunities available.’

‘Amazing activities’

‘It was an amazing experience and I enjoyed it so much.’

‘It was a very useful, we all feel more sure of our Post16 choices’

 Jo Fletcher, Head of Engagement commented: ‘Career Fairs play an important role in bringing optimism and opportunity to students.  They create a field of job options supported with strong clear guidance for our next generation. Equally there are huge benefits for us as we look to strengthen our workforce with the ambition to fulfil local employment.’