PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Wednesday (May 3), Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 2.30pm – see details below
A new and innovative work experience project aimed at filling the employment gap in key sectors crucial to the North-east economy will be launched at the North of Scotland Graduate Recruitment Fair which takes place in Aberdeen next Wednesday (May 3).
Organised jointly by the University of Aberdeen and the Robert Gordon University, the fair provides employers with the ideal chance to raise awareness of career opportunities within their organisations across a wide range of sectors. The event also provides an annual forum for companies to meet some of the top final year students from each of the universities as well as those who have already completed their graduate studies.
Wednesday’s recruitment fair will also provide the launch pad for the University of Aberdeen’s pilot work experience project, REACH, which aims to source summer work experience projects in four target employment sectors as being crucial to the local economy over the next five to 10 years: Food and Drink; Hospitality; Energy; and Life Sciences.
Led by the University’s Careers and Appointments Service, with funding from Scottish Enterprise Grampian, REACH (Real Experience Adds Choice) will connect undergraduate students to paid summer work placements in local businesses throughout the North-east.
The launch will include speeches from four of Aberdeen’s most influential business minds including Professor Andy Porter, of the University of Aberdeen, who won the coveted title of Entrepreneur of the Year 2005 for his work with University spin-out company Haptogen Ltd. Other keynote speakers include Ian Heywood, Director of Skillls and Learning at Scottish Enterprise Grampian, Sandy Manson, a partner in Johnson and Carmichael, and Raemond Jappy, Undergraduate winner of the Johnston Carmicahel work experience bursary 2005.
Peter Fantom, Acting Head of the University of Aberdeen’s Careers and Appointments Services, said: “By launching REACH we are looking for students who have the motivation and commitment that could make a vital difference to a real business. Summer positions are available in a host of dynamic companies across the Aberdeen area, giving students the real opportunity to gain valuable and relevant work experience and to develop a wide variety of skills that future employers are looking for.
“The employers, in return, can use REACH to gain efficient low cost recruitment of graduates and to access up-to-date skills and knowledge of undergraduates, as well as cost-effective assistance with short-term or part-time projects.”
The REACH Work Experience Project will be launched in the Meeting Room of the Music Hall, Aberdeen, at 2.30pm on Wednesday, May 3, and is open to any interested employers who wish to attend. Further details on REACH can be found at www.abdn.ac.uk/careers/main/REACHmain.html
Some 60% of graduates remain in the North-east after graduation and the currently buoyant economy of the region has resulted in a growing demand for a well-educated and skilled workforce, not only in the re-emerging oil and gas sector, but also in retail, hospitality, transport, finance and public services. This has had a considerable impact on graduate recruitment with many national and international employers recording unexpected job vacancies in response to the upturn in business confidence.
The North of Scotland Graduate Recruitment Fair will run throughout the day next Wednesday from 11.00am – 3.00pm.
Janice Montgomery, Fair Organiser, said: “This year’s exhibitors include representatives from across Aberdeen’s oil the gas sector, as well as employers from financial organisations, retail firms, the armed forces and groups such as Scottish Enterprise.
“The benefits for students include an informal forum in which to approach companies with whom they may be interested in working. They are given an opportunity to research the companies prior to attending and then consider the kind of questions they might usefully ask of each of the organisations who often bring graduate trainees to provide a real insight into the companies concerned.”
The Fair is not however only for those who wish to gain employment with major international companies and the possibility of joining a small or medium sized company can be discussed with Robin Key, the representative of the Federation of Small Businesses. The Federation represents businesses across the North East and is an invaluable source of contacts and opportunities.
Further business information will be provided at the fair by Scottish Enterprise who are keen to promote entrepreneurship from within the student body and who have in the past year, sponsored student interns to work on the two campuses. There will also be an opportunity to discuss the possibilities of postgraduate courses with recruitment specialists from Aberdeen, the Robert Gordon and Stirling Universities.
Further information and a list of attending companies can be obtained from www.abdn.ac.uk/careers