Skills, Pathways and Possibilities: RBN Leads Another Successful Careers Fair

28 January 2026 marked the fourth annual town‑wide Year 9 Careers Fair, delivered by the Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network (RBN) at the Winter Gardens & Blackpool Conference and Exhibition Centre.

This annual career fair forms part of a sequenced careers programme designed to give young people meaningful encounters with employers throughout their school journey. Coordinated careers programmes have a powerful and lasting impact on young people’s futures, helping them understand the local labour market, future opportunities, and the employability skills required to succeed.

Stronger Than Ever: Engagement & Impact in 2026

Students were surveyed about their experience at the Careers Fair on the same day by a team of Youth Advisors from Blackpool Council. Some key headline statistics include:

• 98.7% said the fair helped them explore a wide range of careers
• 82.6% felt inspired to consider jobs they had not thought about before
• 85.9% discovered roles they didn’t know existed locally

This year we introduced a Skills Builder activity, using stickers and postcards to support employer–student conversations. Feedback from schools and employers indicated that these materials were a useful tool to help students explore different skills and understand the skill sets required for various job roles.

During the event, we welcomed Graeme Dow, Assistant Director of Children’s Services, Education and SEN at Blackpool Council, watch the video below to see what he had to say about the event and why it’s beneficial for students.

Looking Ahead
The date has now been confirmed for next year’s event, which will take place on 27 January 2027. If you would be interested in taking a stand, please contact Matthew.Allen@bitc.org.uk