Hosted by Oxfordshire Careers Hub, Careers Fest is the region’s most anticipated and exciting careers event. It will take place on 19-20 March at The Kassam Stadium, with a ‘twilight’ session for parents and careers on 19 March from 16:00-19:00.

We’re delighted to introduce Morgan Sindall Construction as a headline sponsor of Careers Fest 2025. Their generous support has helped to fund transport costs for schools and colleges visiting Careers Fest during the day, enabling more students to attend.

Morgan Sindall Construction is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, nine businesses who specialise in all elements of the built environment – construction, infrastructure, fit out, property services, housing, regeneration and development.

Their purpose is to create inspiring places that enhance the communities in which we all live, learn, work, play, care and protect.

With apprenticeship and trainee schemes available to all regardless of age, their programmes are designed to give you the best start in your role.

Visit the Morgan Sindall Construction stand at Careers Fest to discover dynamic opportunities in construction and explore a multitude of career paths, uncover diverse construction industry roles and pathways and learn about alternative job roles beyond on-site work. Their knowledgeable team will be available to address any questions and help you get started on your construction career journey.

Visit Careers Fest

Careers Fest offers the opportunity to meet a range of employers, further education colleges, universities and training providers, with around 80 exhibitors offering information, advice and guidance on future pathways and careers from a varied range of sectors.

Register to attend the session for parents/carers at  https://careersfest2025twilightsession.eventbrite.co.uk

Follow us on social media @OxLEPSkills for all the latest on Careers Fest and join in the conversation using the hashtag #CF2025.

Hosted by Oxfordshire Careers Hub, Careers Fest is the region’s most anticipated and exciting careers event. It will take place on 19-20 March at The Kassam Stadium, with a ‘twilight’ session for parents and careers on 19 March from 16:00-19:00.

We’re delighted to introduce the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) as a headline sponsor of Careers Fest 2025. Their generous support has helped to fund transport costs for schools and colleges visiting Careers Fest during the day, enabling more students to attend.

STFC is one of Europe’s largest research organisations, trusted to support, enable, and undertake cutting-edge projects in an amazing diversity of fields. At STFC, research driven by practical applications meets research driven by curiosity to create a world-leading hub of scientific and engineering excellence.

STFC is a place where curious minds push the boundaries in engineering, technology and science. We are recruiting apprentices on our gold accredited apprenticeship scheme, in roles as diverse as engineering, electrical, computing, building services, IT, business administration and marketing.

Whatever your role, whether technical or professional support, you’ll have training and support from experts in their fields working on amazing projects. Our dedicated apprenticeship team will support you every step of the way, helping you to achieve the goals you already have – and those you have yet to discover!

Find out more about careers with STFC at https://stfccareers.co.uk

Visit Careers Fest

Careers Fest offers the opportunity to meet a range of employers, further education colleges, universities and training providers, with around 80 exhibitors offering information, advice and guidance on future pathways and careers from a varied range of sectors.

Register to attend the session for parents/carers at  https://careersfest2025twilightsession.eventbrite.co.uk

Follow us on social media @OxLEPSkills for all the latest on Careers Fest and join in the conversation using the hashtag #CF2025.

National Apprenticeship Week aims to highlight the exceptional work being done by employers and apprentices across the country.

The 18th annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships will take place from 10 to 16 February 2025. The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2025 is ‘Skills for Life’; reflecting on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career and businesses to develop a talented workforce that is equipped with future-ready skills.

Apprenticeships Webinar for Parents and Carers

11 February, 18:00-19:00

https://careersliveuk.com/partner/oxfordshire-careers-hub

We are teaming up with Careers Live to run an apprenticeships awareness broadcast for parents and carers (students are encouraged to attend too!).

Parents/carers will be able to hear an overview of apprenticeships, watch Oxfordshire apprentices talking about their experiences, hear the employer perspective and ask any questions via a live chat with the speakers. Click on ‘Upcoming events’ and scroll down to register.

Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025

The Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025 will be open for entries and nominations throughout National Apprenticeship Week. With categories for current and former apprentices, employers, schools and training providers, the awards is a fantastic way to recognise and celebrate apprenticeship success in Oxfordshire. The closing date is Monday 24 February at midnight.

Events and open days

Details of events happening across Oxfordshire during National Apprenticeship Week 2025:

Engineering Employer Open Evenings

10 to 13 February

www.theengineeringtrust.org/apprenticeships/naw25

The Engineering Trust have arranged open evenings with four fantastic Oxfordshire engineering employers. Follow the link for details of each session, including how to register.

• 10 February – XDS Oxford & Ercol Furniture, Princes Risborough
• 11 February – AFE, Carterton & Norbar Torque Tools, Banbury
• 12 February – Barrus, Bicester & Navtech Radar, Wantage
• 13 February – Fortesque Zero, Kidlington & Lucy Electric, Thame

Timber & Trowels: Pathway to Apprenticeships

11 February, 08:30 – 10:30

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/timber-trowels-pathway-to-apprenticeships-tickets-1106311119339

If you work in the timber or trowel trades and have been thinking about recruiting an apprentice, this is an opportunity to visit the City of Oxford College Blackbird Leys Technology Campus to see the brick and carpentry departments and find out about the apprenticeships offered at Activate Learning.

Construction Employer Open Day

12 February, 10:00 – 16:00

https://naw.appawards.co.uk/event/construction-employer-open-day

ACE Training in Kidlington are holding an open day for employers on 12 February. Join them for a tour and a chat about all things construction apprenticeships, including bricklaying, carpentry, bench joinery and property maintenance. The team will be on hand to answer all of your questions from funding to finals (end point assessment).

SFTC Apprenticeship Open Evening

12 February, 17:00 – 19:00

www.eventbrite.com/e/stfc-apprenticeship-open-evening-rutherford-appleton-laboratory-tickets-1105506873819

STFC are holding an apprenticeship open evening at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. This is an opportunity to discover the diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities available in fields like engineering and computing, meet current apprentices, chat with staff and get a feel for what life is like at this cutting-edge facility.

Milton Park Apprenticeships Event

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/milton-park-apprenticeships-event-tickets-1137818749509

13 February, 12:30 – 13:45

This event is for businesses based on Milton Park that already offer apprenticeships or are considering doing so. Our Apprenticeship Advisor Leah Bryan will be on hand to give advice and support.

Coming soon…

NHS Careers Cafe and Apprenticeship Event

3 March, 16:00-18:30

https://careersfest2025twilightsession.eventbrite.co.uk

This event from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust  at the John Radcliffe Hospital is for Year 10-13 students to meet a range of healthcare professionals, explore NHS career pathways and participate in hands-on practical sessions. There will be a talk on work experience and apprenticeships at 17:00 and a careers question time at 18:00.

Careers Fest Parent/Carer Twilight Session

19 March, 16:00-19:00

https://careersfest2025twilightsession.eventbrite.co.uk

Oxfordshire Careers Hub is hosting the region’s most anticipated and exciting careers event. Careers Fest will take place at The Kassam Stadium Conference & Events Centre. We invite all parents/carers of students from Oxfordshire schools and colleges to come and meet the major players in the local labour market at a twilight session on 19 March. There are slots from 16:00-17:30 or 17:30-19:00.

This is an opportunity to meet a range of employers, further education colleges, universities and training providers. This year we will welcome more than 70 exhibitors offering information, advice and guidance on future pathways and careers from a varied range of sectors.

It’s a fantastic chance for parents/carers to talk careers with their young person and feel better informed about their options for when they leave school or college.

Apprenticeship support for employers

Whether you’re looking to take on your first apprentice, develop your apprenticeship scheme, or would like some advice and support with making best use of apprenticeship levy funds, our Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisors Leah Bryan and Nikki Cooper are here to help! Visit our apprenticeship support page or contact skills@oxfordshirelep.com for fully funded, impartial advice and guidance.

Support with finding work or an apprenticeship

If you are 18 or over and would like some advice and support with finding and applying for jobs and apprenticeships, our fully funded OxGROW virtual mentoring platform is here to help! You can connect with business professionals, who have volunteered as mentors, to guide you through the process.

Join the conversation

Follow @OxonApprentice Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and @OxLEP Skills on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and join in the conversation using the hashtags #NAW2025 and #SkillsForLife.

The Careers Fest twilight session offers students in Years 9 and above – and their families – the opportunity to connect with some of Oxfordshire’s best employers, highlighting significant career pathways available in the county, whilst a ‘Careers Live’-hosted webinar is set to cover apprenticeships in more detail.

Following on from the success of last year’s annual Careers Fest, upon which over 3,000 young people congregated at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium, OxLEP Skills’ Oxfordshire Careers Hub – supported by The Careers & Enterprise Company – are preparing to hold this year’s event and enable the county’s young people and their families to understand the careers opportunities that lie right here in Oxfordshire.

Taking place across 19 and 20 March, Careers Fest is set to welcome a vast array of Oxfordshire schools and colleges during the day, including secondary schools, further education colleges and special schools due to the partnerships in-place via OxLEP – and invites parents and carers to an evening ‘twilight’ session from 4pm-7pm on 19 March, to aid families with the knowledge to support their young people with their career and further education decisions.

The session is aimed at all families, but with a specific focus on those supporting students in Year 9 and above – offering guidance and sharing knowledge on post-16 and post-18 education, training and careers options.

With exhibitors from across a huge array of key sectors in Oxfordshire, the full list of organisations attending on the day is set to be announced shortly. A number of organisations are supporting the event as headline sponsors – including Grundon Waste Management, Howden Insurance, Laing O’ Rourke, Lucy Group, Morgan Sindall Construction, Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Velocity Football – contributing to the travel costs for schools to help ensure as many students as possible can attend.

Showcasing the breadth of careers opportunity that lies on their doorstep, students are set to benefit from over 80 organisations attending Careers Fest 2025 – with aims to not only support the county’s pipeline of talent, but to retain it right here in Oxfordshire.

With this in mind, Oxfordshire Careers Hub is also offering these young people and their families the opportunity to find out more about the apprenticeship opportunities which lie out there, with an apprenticeship webinar for parents and carers set to take place during National Apprenticeship Week on 11 February at 6pm.

Running in partnership with Careers Live, the webinar is set to cover everything those supporting Oxfordshire’s young people need to know about finding and applying for apprenticeships, what these opportunities entail – and to hear from some of the county’s key apprentice employers, including Airbus, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire County Council and Williams Racing.

Nigel Tipple – Chief Executive of OxLEP – said: “OxLEP Skills have run Careers Fest for many years now, and every year I am truly blown away by the commitment of the county’s employers in supporting skills provision and education for Oxfordshire’s young people.

“We are truly blessed in Oxfordshire to have such a breadth of key industries and opportunities – from the wealth of transformative technologies in the county, within which Oxfordshire has world-class potential – to being home to two outstanding world-renowned universities – to the vast array of training opportunities in vital industries such as hospitality and tourism.

“OxLEP Skills are here to help local people and businesses in Oxfordshire achieve their full potential through the provision of skills, careers and enterprise opportunities and we are proud to continue delivering such vital skills opportunities – working with schools and families to ensure young people have the information to make decisions about their future.

“We would strongly encourage families to sign up to attend Careers Fest and the apprenticeships webinar, in order to understand the opportunities that are right here in Oxfordshire.”

Would you like to know more about apprenticeships to help you support your young person with deciding what to do when they leave school or college? There is so much choice for young people in terms of what they can do at 16 and 18 and it’s important that all young people learn about all the pathways available to them so that they can decide on their best next step. 

As parents/carers we know the important role you have in supporting your children with these choices, so we’d like to invite you to join Oxfordshire Careers Hub and CareersLive (young people are welcome to attend too!) on Tuesday 11 February from 18:00 – 19:00, which is during National Apprenticeship Week, to hear from local employers and apprentices and learn more about a pathway that has opportunities for everyone. 

This webinar is for parents and carers of young people in Years 7 – 13. 

Parents/carers will be able to hear an overview of apprenticeships, watch Oxfordshire apprentices talking about their experiences and ask any questions via a live chat with the speakers. 

Link to register: https://careersliveuk.com/partner/oxfordshire-careers-hub

Please note: when visiting the registration page, click on ‘Upcoming events’ to see the details of the broadcast.

Oxfordshire Careers Hub is hosting the region’s most anticipated and exciting careers event: Careers Fest!

This is an opportunity to meet a range of employers, further education colleges, universities and training providers. This year we will welcome more than 80 exhibitors offering information, advice and guidance on future pathways and careers from a varied range of sectors.

Parents/carers of students from Oxfordshire schools and colleges are invited to come and meet the major players in the local labour market at a twilight session on 19 March at the Kassam Conference & Events Centre in Oxford (OX4 4XP). There are slots from 16:00-17:30 or 17:30-19:00.

Visiting Careers Fest with your young person is a fantastic way to get those careers conversations started and help you feel equipped with the right information to support them with deciding on their next step.

Book your place now: careersfest2025twilightsession.eventbrite.co.uk

OxLEP Skills have announced the significant rollout of the ‘No Limits’ inclusive employability support programme across the Oxford City district – aiming to remove barriers that residents might have in getting into or returning to work, education or training.

The ‘No Limits’ programme is funded in Oxford City until March 2025 by Oxford City Council, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and is being delivered by Aspire, a charity that supports people in Oxfordshire facing homelessness and disadvantage to secure fulfilling employment and safe housing.

The ‘No Limits 3’ programme will support Oxford City residents (age 16+) in finding employment or skills training, with this unique initiative offering personalised triage support tailored to each participant’s individual needs.

Experienced triage workers will meet participants in familiar community settings, focusing on their overall health and wellbeing – not just employment or training.

Participants will receive one-on-one support, which may include confidence building, personality assessments, aspiration raising, mentoring, CV writing, application assistance, and interview preparation.

The goal of the initiative is to help participants secure high-quality, long-term, sustainable jobs that align with their needs and interests.

The programme also offers support through the provision of travel bursaries for getting to interviews or the first month of a job or apprenticeship, if this is a barrier – and the provision of electronic devices, data and informal digital training programmes for individuals experiencing digital poverty.

Other barriers to employment, education or training (including green skills) – such as certifications or training requirements – can also be accessed and funded through the programme.

Sally Andreou – Skills Hub Manager at OxLEP – said: ”OxLEP Skills is delighted to announce the continuation of the ‘No Limits’ programme across Oxford City, through this UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation. We are excited to continue our partnership with the fantastic Aspire on this project, which aims to help local people gain skills and access resources that can support them into employment.”

“It is essential we continue to support those in our communities struggling to gain employment opportunities and support the wider rollout of skills and training provision.”

Councillor Susan Brown – Leader of Oxford City Council – said: “The ‘No Limits’ programme is a great example of how we can work together to empower local people to gain the skills and resources they need to access and thrive in today’s job market.

“By delivering this initiative through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we’re making sure more people in the city can benefit from Oxford’s economic success, get into employment, and overcome barriers to opportunity.

“I’m proud to see the ‘No Limits’ programme helping to make Oxford’s economy fairer and more accessible for everyone.”

The announcement comes following the roll-out of a programme of ‘No Limits’ support elsewhere in the county earlier this month – following the wider success of the project which initially launched in 2022.

OxLEP’s latest impact report – which looks back on the last financial year between April 2023 and March 2024 – outlines the significant role and commitment we play in ensuring Oxfordshire has a healthy, thriving and inclusive economy.

The report reflects on the tailored business support delivered by OxLEP Business, the commitment to ensuring we have a strong labour market and pipeline of talent in the county from OxLEP Skills, as well as how our the £1billion of funding we have helped to secure for Oxfordshire has, and continues to make, for our businesses and communities.

We are the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, OxLEP. Our role is to champion Oxfordshire’s economic potential, acting as a catalyst and convener to drive a dynamic, sustainable, and growing economy.

OxLEP works for the people of Oxfordshire; for the entrepreneurs, businesses and social-minded enterprises, and for the county itself and its connectivity, nationally and internationally.

Our mission is to inspire and support business, to secure investment and drive opportunities for economic prosperity across our communities. This report sets out why we do what we do, who has benefitted from our work and the impacts that have been delivered over the period from April 2023 to March 2024.

This Small Business Saturday, award winning apprenticeship employer Olamalu is encouraging other small businesses to celebrate their apprenticeship success by entering the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025. 

Witney-based web technology business Olamalu helps organisations to work better through their clever use of technology. They build websites, intranets and apps and solve unique business challenges, working with clients every step of the way to deliver tech solutions which meet today’s needs, but are also flexible enough for the future. 

From the moment the business was started over 10 years ago, opening up opportunities for young people to join the technology industry has been at the heart of the way Olamalu operates. 

Director Kate Berman says: “Getting started as a software developer is hard and companies often only want to hire developers with a degree and several years of experience. One of the biggest upsides to building our business from the ground up is that we can craft things our way and incorporate the things that are important to us. So we decided to follow a different path and develop our own entry-level programme for young people. Apprenticeships form a vital part of this and it’s working.”  

“We’re proud to say that 50% of our team came through the apprenticeship route, and our business wouldn’t be where it is today without them. The combination of academic learning and hands-on experience is invaluable for the apprentices and the wider team. It’s a joy to see our apprentices grow their skills and knowledge and to see them take on bigger roles as they progress.” 

“Our apprentices join as junior developers and we prepare them to take on full stack developer roles with us. As they progress, they take on increasing responsibility for projects, internal initiatives and more junior developers. Our most experienced current apprentice has taken on responsibility for the learning and development of the less experienced apprentices and will be moving into a team management role when he graduates. Our two apprenticeship graduates from previous apprenticeship programmes have both moved on to more senior roles in the business. One is now our lead designer and the other is an experienced project manager.” 

In May 2024, Olamalu won the Apprenticeship Employer Award (<250 employees) at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards and decided to sponsor the category at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025 to continue flying the flag for small organisations that employ apprentices. They are encouraging small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to enter to showcase the value that apprentices bring to their workplaces and demonstrate why apprenticeships work for small businesses. 

Kate says: “Winning the award was an incredible feeling after all the hard work we’ve put into getting the scheme up and running and was a great opportunity to raise awareness with other businesses on how rewarding an apprenticeship scheme can be.” 

Olamalu went on to achieve national recognition as an apprenticeship employer, winning the highly commended award in the SME Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (for organisations with 1 to 249 employees) at the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards last week (27 November), having won the South East regional final in October. They are looking forward to using their success at national level to help inspire other SMEs to invest in apprenticeships. 

Olamalu’s current apprenticeship programme is focused on a degree apprenticeship in digital technologies. This offers the apprentice the chance to earn a degree as they work in the industry, graduating with no student debt and several years’ experience of practical, relevant work. At the end of the apprenticeship, there are opportunities to progress to next level of role and to keep on growing and learning in the ever-evolving digital world. 

Olamalu are currently recruiting for their next apprentice, who will be undertaking a Software Development Degree Apprenticeship starting in summer 2025. To find out more and apply, visit: https://www.olamalu.com/software-development-degree-apprentice 

Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign that takes place on the first Saturday in December each year to highlight small business success. OxLEP Skills is encouraging SMEs to showcase their apprenticeship success this Small Business Saturday (7 December) by entering the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2025. To enter your business or nominate your apprentices, please visit: https://oxlepskills.co.uk/oaawards 

Olamalu benefitted from education company Pearson’s apprenticeship levy and knowledge transfer fund to help set up their apprenticeship programme. If you own, or work for, a small business, social enterprise or charity and would like to follow in the footsteps of Olamalu by setting up your own apprenticeship scheme, OxLEP Skills has £1M in apprenticeship levy funds available to support local employers with apprenticeship training and assessment costs. These funds have been pledged by employers that pay the apprenticeship levy but don’t utilise all the funds themselves. Find out more at: https://oxlepskills.co.uk/apprenticeshipsupport

OxLEP Skills have announced the significant rollout of our ‘No Limits’ inclusive employability support programme across the West Oxfordshire district – aiming to remove barriers that residents might have in getting into or returning to work, education or training.

The ‘No Limits’ programme is funded in West Oxfordshire until March 2025 by West Oxfordshire District Council, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and is being delivered by Aspire, a charity that supports people in Oxfordshire facing homelessness and disadvantage to secure fulfilling employment and safe housing.

The ‘No Limits 3’ programme will support West Oxfordshire residents (age 16+) in finding employment or skills training, with this unique initiative offering personalised triage support tailored to each participant’s individual needs.

Experienced triage workers will meet participants in familiar community settings, focusing on their overall health and wellbeing – not just employment or training.

Participants will receive one-on-one support, which may include confidence building, personality assessments, aspiration raising, mentoring, CV writing, application assistance, and interview preparation.

The goal of the initiative is to help participants secure high-quality, long-term, sustainable jobs that align with their needs and interests.

OxLEP’s Apprenticeship Advisor will collaborate with local employers, including SMEs, to optimise the use of the apprenticeship levy for hiring apprentices and fostering inclusivity within their workforce. The advisor will also coordinate with triage workers to identify local apprenticeship vacancies that align with the goals of ‘No Limits’ clients and support applications for suitable opportunities.

The programme also offers support through the provision of travel bursaries for getting to interviews or the first month of a job or apprenticeship, if this is a barrier – and the provision of electronic devices, data and informal digital training programmes for individuals experiencing digital poverty. 

Other barriers to employment, education or training (including green skills) – such as certifications or training requirements – can also be accessed and funded through the programme. 

Sally Andreou – Skills Hub Manager at OxLEP – said: “OxLEP Skills is delighted to announce the continuation of the ‘No Limits’ programme across West Oxfordshire, through this UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation. We are excited to continue our partnership with the fantastic Aspire on this project, which aims to help disadvantaged local people gain secure fulfilling employment and safe housing.  

“It is essential we continue to support those in our communities struggling to gain employment opportunities and support the wider rollout of skills and training provision.”

Giles Hughes – Chief Executive Officer for West Oxfordshire District Council – said: “We are proud to support the No Limits 3 programme, which has been central to boosting local job opportunities.

“By equipping individuals with valuable skills and confidence, this initiative will not only lead to better job prospects but also create a stronger workforce for our local businesses and a more robust local economy. It aligns perfectly with our ongoing efforts to drive economic growth across West Oxfordshire through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.”

The announcement comes following the roll-out of a programme of ‘No Limits’ support elsewhere in the county earlier this month – following the wider success of the project which initially launched in 2022.