Engineering and Computing Trade Fair inspires future professionals

4 February 2025

Students from EKC Canterbury College explored their progression options at this year’s Engineering and Computing Trade Fair.

The event, which brought together industry professionals, training providers, and our learners, provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with employers and gain insights into careers in the Engineering and Computing sectors.

After last year’s successful Trade Fair, this year’s event expanded to include a focus on Computing, reflecting the growing demand for digital skills in various industries.

Students had the chance to speak directly with professionals, ask questions, and explore their options. One student who took advantage of the day was T Level Engineering student, Morgan. After the Fair, he’s looking forward to seeing where his course takes him and what future work placement could look like.

“For me, it’s good to get an understanding of what the companies actually offer and how we can see what’s next.

“I enjoyed speaking to the Port of Dover because they have a wide range of things you can do as an Engineering student. No matter what area of Engineering I go into, work placement will still help me even if it isn’t the exact same area as my future career.

“Having that experience of being in a work environment is really important, and after today, Degree Apprenticeships are of interest to me as well.”

Another student who gained a lot out of the day was T Level Engineering student, Josh, who has already been exploring his future by working on a placement with Southeastern.

He said: “I came to today’s event to get a grasp of all the opportunities for me after College.  I took part in work experience last year with Southeastern, which involved me being on the trains, and I really enjoyed doing that. I’m looking forward to doing something similar soon.”

John Amadi, Assistant People Partner at Southeastern, was also in attendance, and spoke about the benefits of the Trade Fair and of Josh’s work placement in College saying: “Events like these are helpful for everyone as people tend to ask more questions. Our stall’s buzzer game is always a talking point, but this is to represent that whilst work can be a challenge, it is also a lot of fun.

“Today’s been great as well because we saw Josh who did work experience with us last year. He’s looking forward to applying for a future role and it’s good to see the impact it’s had on him.

“I’d say that it’s good for students to reach out to employers as soon as they start a course, but they can always contact us whenever during their studies. We’re happy to have a conversation with anyone as we offer placements to those across East Kent Colleges Group.”

Several Universities were also around on the day for those looking to go onto further study, including the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, UCA, and the University of Brighton.

Industry Liaison Officer for Engineering, Louise Sutcliffe, organised the event and was impressed by the level of engagement between staff and students. She said: “Our learners are gaining awareness of the careers available in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), and they’re also using this opportunity to seek out work placements.

“It’s great for our stakeholders and for local employers to have a place to interact, and to engage with those actively looking to join the industries available.

“Companies are learning more about T Levels and by talking to students on these courses, they’ll see why taking a T Level student on is a great idea.

“We’ve also had several schools in attendance today who are exploring their options early, which is always nice to see.”

Industry Liaison Officer for Computing, Tony Ballard, added: “Today’s event is all about that employer engagement, and for our learners to explore the industry and the pathways available.

“I think having that time with companies is important, especially for the T Level students looking for placement. It’s good to see them considering options that they may not have known existed.”

With a strong turnout and engaging discussions, this year’s Engineering and Computing Trade Fair has been a good experience for everyone involved.

Thank you to all the companies who took part, including: