The 2018 Macarthur Careers Expo at Club Menangle was a huge hit with both students and exhibitors.
Around 3,000 students from 24 high schools and 100 exhibitors took part in the annual expo.
Students had the opportunity to talk to careers experts and were also linked to universities, local employers and group training organisations.
One student, Jess O’Flynn from Mt Carmel High, who is interested in a career in interior design, connected with Wisdom Homes, who offer a variety of careers from customer service to drafting and design to human resources and information technology.
Carla Treuer from Wisdom Homes said: “The students were very responsive.
“It’s been good to see students open their minds to new opportunities.”
The expo is all about traineeships and apprenticeships and Year 10 Ambarvale High students Noah Miskell, Tim Beaton and Noah Hall took advantage by linking with Chad Smith from 1300apprentice to talk about careers in landscaping, electrical, carpentry and air conditioning.
Another student who attended the expo was Dom Manno, who is in Year 11 at Magdalene Catholic High. Dom, and whose passion is in mechanical and mechatronics engineering.
Dom connected with universities at the expo.
TAFE NSW Campbelltown hosted a hands-on activity centre where students got involved in spray painting, hair and beauty, child care, massage, flower arranging and automotive.
Women in Trades (SALT) had a fabulous interactive opportunity for students.
“The expo has been fantastic – so many students have come through,’’ said Fi Shewring from SALT.
“As many girls as boys.
“We’re all about supporting and linking future tradeswomen. We’ve all enjoyed it.’’
The defence forces gave students advice on careers in the Army and Navy and Gap Year providers were on hand with many options for the students, including becoming an au pair or work in a summer camp in the US.
CEO David Williams said mwlp linking youth was proud to co-host this successful event.
“It’s so rewarding to see enthusiastic and motivated young people begin their career journey with events like ours. The feedback from students and exhibitors was outstanding,” he said.
In another expo highlight, students from Broughton Anglican College prepared and cooked egg and bacon rolls, burgers and pancakes under the expert supervision of mwlp work placement manager and chef Michael Everett.
If the current Coalition Government continues with it plans to abandon the TAFE scheme in favour of pushing everyone to the federally funded universities to save budget we will end up with all captain and no players to do the on the ground work that makes our lives comfortable