Over 55 employers from the region were on location at York College on Saturday 8 February 2025 for the third Annual Cadet Careers Fair. The event celebrated the start of the national celebration of Apprenticeship Week. Cadets from Yorkshire and the Humber explored work experience opportunities and career pathways from the exhibiting businesses and organisations. Simon Banks-Cooper, Honorary Colonel of Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF, and staff from the RFCA for Yorkshire and the Humber organised the event.
Cadets are work-ready
Simon Banks-Cooper, Honorary Colonel of Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF, founder of a regional Cadet Careers Fair, says:
“Employers and entrepreneurs recognise that it’s not just academic qualifications that are key to employability. Wider experiences, generic skills, and emotional intelligence contribute to making a young person work-ready.
“The cadet experience offers the development of these invaluable attributes, boosting cadets’ self-efficacy, esteem, and confidence—qualities that employers seek when recruiting. Businesses and organisations attending today’s fair understand that our cadets are prepared for a wide range of opportunities and receptive to all the professional pathways available. We are very pleased that the Cadet Careers Fair is now in its third year, and we expect continued growth in interest and engagement.”
Andrea Ball, of Project Group, an employer at the event, says:
“Project Group is proud to support the Cadet Careers Fair. Events like this provide an opportunity to inspire and empower cadets who are eager to shape their futures. As a forces-friendly employer, supporting the cadets aligns with our commitment to fostering a future workforce of skilled, disciplined, and motivated individuals who are prepared to excel in the workplace and drive our company’s success.”
Exhibiting employers and organisations
Military
- 150 The Royal Logistic Corps
- Army Careers
- RAF Careers
- RAF Northern Reserves Support Wing
- Royal Marines Reserves Merseyside
- Royal Navy Careers
- Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF
Blue Light Services
- Humberside Fire & Rescue
- Humberside Police
- South Yorkshire Police
- West Yorkshire Police
- YH Regional Organised Crime Units
- Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Engineering and manufacturing
- Accu
- Adler & Allan
- Awaking Giants
- BSL UK (BAE Systems)
- Evotech
- GEV Wind Power
- Iprosurv
- Magtec
- Network Rail
- Pro-Pak Foods
Training and Education
- Askham Bryan College
- Blackpool and The Fylde College
- East Riding College
- High Ropes Builders
- KH Plant Training
- Leeds Trinity University
- National Horseracing College
- VetPartners
- York College
Retail and Travel
- Arla Foods
- Asda
- Skipton Building Society
- Viking Arms
Public Sector, Media, Professional Services
- City of York Council
- Eboracum Security
- One SC Media
- Tetra Tech
- Wakefield Council
- Wilkin Chapman LLP
Construction and Environment
- GVA Trees
- Morgan Sindall PS
- Wainwrights
Logistics and Space Design
- Associated British Ports
- Banner UK
- DEA Aviation
- Project Group
- The Pink Link
Healthcare
- Love in Care
- Mid-Yorkshire NHS Trust
- Saint Catherine’s Hospice
- Springfield Healthcare
- Step into Health /NHS Employers
Employers expressions of interest in future events
Employers interested in learning more about the cadet experience, whether it is understanding how skills are learnt through cadet activities or the opportunity to explore opportunities as a forces-friendly employer, can email RFCA Regional Employer Engagement Director Pauline King at [email protected].