More than 1000 students from 14 Wirral-based schools took over The Hive Youth Zone, Wirral on Tuesday 11th November to meet around 60 employers and training providers.
Career Connect, on behalf of Wirral Council, have hosted the What Next Skills Show for the past four years, with each event bringing together more students, schools, and opportunities.
Creating an accessible and informative space for young people from mainstream, SEN, and alternative provision settings, the stalls and exhibitors showcased opportunities that were suitable and inspiring for all students, regardless of setting or year group.
Exhibitors brought out all the stops to promote engagement and inspire the borough’s next generation, with interactive and informative stalls to be found at every turn.
Jake Thompson, Graduate Electrical Engineer, representing Cavendish Nuclear said:
“It was a fantastic event. There were so many students who were interested in a career in STEM, and everyone was really engaging with us.”
Wirral Met College has attended every What Next Wirral Skills Show at The Hive. Their School Liaison, Paul Martin, said:
“It has been a lot busier than we thought it would be – even more so than last year. The students seem very interested in everything we offer.”
Career Connect’s Schools and Colleges team builds on the event year-on-year to enable every student to have a meaningful encounter that promotes opportunities and raises aspirations – while also helping schools align with the updated Gatsby Benchmarks.
Cllr Stephen Bennett, Chair of Wirral’s Children, Young People and Education Committee said:
“Giving our borough’s future workers the chance to explore the world of work is so important.
“The What Next Skills Show is a excellent opportunity for young people to interact with various stallholders and activities all centred around their futures and careers.
“From the NHS to film making, nuclear engineering to opticians, a large range of jobs, industries and training providers were available to help young people explore their full potential.”
Chloe Elliott, School and Colleges Operations Manager at Career Connect said:
“It was exciting to see the buzz in the room as we welcomed our largest number of students, employers and providers to the 2025 What Next Skills Show.
“We’ve taken on board feedback and ideas each year to ensure that our show really meets the needs of students and schools, and creates the best environment for meaningful conversations. We’d also like to say a big thank you to all of the employers and providers who showcased the wide range of opportunities across Wirral, and who help make the show what it is.”
If you’re a Careers Leader or hold careers responsibility in your school and would like to know more about how Career Connect can help deliver careers fairs, programmes, and guidance meetings for your students, please contact [email protected].
To read about how the What Next Skills Show has grown each year, read our impact story.
Image Gallery
Career Connect has delivered the ‘What Next? The Wirral Skills and Careers Show’ on behalf of Wirral Council for three years
