On Wednesday 25 April, our Year 12 students attended the UCAS Tyneside Higher Education Exhibit at the Metro Radio Arena. With over a hundred university representatives, employers and gap year specialists, this was a unique opportunity for our students to explore and gather information on the wide range of post-18 opportunities available after school or college.

For some students, it was the chance to spark an interest in certain institutions and opportunities, whilst for others it was more about kick-starting research or refining choices. In some cases, having those face to face discussions gave students the perfect opportunity to ask those burning questions that Google just can’t answer. Tickets for entry also came with a unique barcode which students could hand over to an exhibitor to scan in order to receive further information.

This was my first experience at the Higher Education Conference. My first thoughts were “what an amazing opportunity, to have this many representatives in one place.” I was incredibly impressed with how enthusiastic our students were, maturely conducting conversations with exhibitors and using the event to really gain a greater understanding of what is on offer for them. I personally found the exhibits by The University of Law and BPP Professional Apprenticeships highly informative. With a strong focus on vocational learning and employability, the University of Law offers various degree programmes and apprenticeships in Law and Business at a number of locations. BPP Professional Education and BPP University are among the largest providers of apprenticeship training in the UK. They work with a large number of well-known employers – such as BT, Ford, KMPG and Santander – offering a free recruitment service to help secure roles and provide expert tuition and flexible learning.

Speaking to the students, the event seemed to ignite a mixture of excitement and nerves. For some it cemented in their mind where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do, for others it left them feeling a little overwhelmed. Either way, it was an afternoon well worth attending.