THE bigger picture of both education and employment opportunities was the focus for thousands of pupils at Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership's careers fest.

More than 1,800 students will visit the two-day fair, which started yesterday, at the Mini Plant.

Now in its eighth year the event brought together 50 employers and training organisations from a range of industries.

Oxford Mail:

Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership chief executive Nigel Tipple said this year's mix of stalls gave pupils the chance to explore more aspects of their futures.

He said: "This year there is a really good balance between employers and providers.

"It gives students an idea about the career they want and then they can find out how to navigate into that.

"It is better than just walking around and looking at stalls run by employers."

Dozens of schools, including The Oxford Academy, Matthew Arnold School and The Marlborough School visited yesterday, with about another dozen due today.

Lauren Lathwell from Wheatley Park School, said she found the day useful.

The 15-year-old said: "I am hoping to go on to college.

"This has been really helpful.

"I spoke to the Royal Navy stall about how much apprentices get paid and what it is like.

"It is useful to find out a bit more."

Fellow Wheatley Park pupil Joshua Munyeza said: "It has been a good day, we have been looking at the possible options after GCSEs and A-Levels.

"I have also been looking at options for part-time jobs at the new Westgate Centre."

When the centre reopens in the autumn it will lead to jobs being created at dozens of new retailers, including John Lewis.

The department store had a stall at the careers fair as it sought to attract young people to find out more about part-time roles and longer-term careers.

Nicki Davies, a resource and delivery co-ordinator at the company, said:

"Most people do only think of it as part-time work, they do not appreciate they can keep working their way through the company.

"We are here to get people in the right mind and help them realise we do have the opportunities to build a career here."

The fair hosted a mixture of traditional employers, such as the Royal Air Force and the NHS, alongside newer industries such as Reaction Engines, which builds rocket engines.

Hosts Mini were among the employers who offered both job opportunities and training, with the chance for apprentices to complete qualifications on the job.

Second-year apprentice Joe Clauson, 18, said: "I became an apprentice because I knew a couple of people who worked here and I spoke to them and they pointed me in the right direction.

"An event like this is really good because people who come along get the see what everybody offers so they can compare them.

"They get the chance to actually get some knowledge from people who work at different companies, such as Mini."

BMW Group UK's manager of apprentice training programmes Jason Gaskell said: "It’s a fantastic privilege to host careers fest and to once more welcome so many students and businesses to the heart and home of Mini. 

"This is an event that really helps to get young people thinking about the range of careers that are on offer and about what inspires them."