As well as the usual union learning activity of helping learners in the workplace, the Learn with Aegis team looks at helping learners in other ways. This is way they decided to run a stall at the Spelthorne Career and Skills Fair held at Kempton Park, Sunbury in September.

This event was organised through Aegis Union Learning Rep (ULR) Chris Gurdev, based in Sunbury, Julie Thompson Aegis Project Worker and the Project Team.

The Career and Skills Fair had stallholders ranged from local businesses looking to recruit to community groups and organisations such as the local job centre and learning providers. 

Julie said:

We attended in our union learning capacity to show how unions can help job hunters by providing courses to develop their skills, gain qualifications and to ensure they maximise their chances of success in their job search.”

We provided a lot of information and literature on interview skills, particularly useful as there were other stall holders recruiting.”

On the day, the Aegis team connected with other professionals attending the event, and discussed how Learn with Aegis can work with them and connect to their businesses and schools, to form ongoing relationships. 

The Learn with Aegis team believes making these contacts, and exchanging information, with other groups and institutions will be mutually beneficial, and since the event the union has built on those relationships.

Mary O’Brien Project Worker from Aegis, has offered workshops for Year 9’s and 10’s to help them decide on their options for GCSE’s. The sessions have information and provides students with activities to help them decide on their options, encouraging them to think about the world of work and where the subjects they choose can take them.

ULR Chris said:

We usually support and help upskill learners in the workplace and it was great to take that knowledge and our services out into the community.  This should help job seekers know what type of skills employers are looking for.”

Attendees were really engaged with what we do and it was a great event to be part of.”

Julie summed up saying:

The event for us was a huge success, marketing our services, supporting the community and making new valuable connections.”

All our months of planning and the different skills brought by our project team slotted together nicely at the event, a bit like the jigsaw pieces in our Learn with Aegis logo.”