The Greater Manchester Choices show offers a great range of resources and opportunities for teachers and education professionals to improve their knowledge on careers education, skills and apprenticeships. To make the most of your visit to the show, we have compiled some tips of what you can do with your students, before, after and during the show along with some useful resources to support you in doing this.

What's on offer A range of employers Training providers Careers advice to support students Comprehensive careers CPD offer for teachers and practitioners Career resources Find out about future jobs and growth areas in Greater Manchester. Skills Competitions

Before the show Research – review what businesses and sectors will be exhibiting at the show, research these industries and generate discussions with students about them, asking them to prepare some questions before their visit. Have a Plan – to make the best use of your time, have a look at what’s on at the show and map out some of the activities/ areas of the show that will be relevant to you and your students. Think about CPD – have a look at the programme for the Staff Room, a dedicated space for teachers, careers and education professionals to network, share best practice and get up to date careers information to benefit their employer and their own continuing professional development (CPD).  

Before the show Learn about Skills Competitions - Gain a greater understanding of Skills Competitions and how they help to accelerate competitors learning and employability skills. Get connected- engage with us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date on the latest developments in the lead up to the event. Look resources to help you prepare - Bridge GM have all the information and support you will need, including high quality resources, up-to-date jobs & career information, and relevant policy, strategy & research news.

At the show Arrive early - There are usually long lines at this type of event, so you want to be close to the front in order to get in to see the activities and employers you want to engage with. Participate - Encourage your students to participate in as many Have a Go, Spotlight Talks, Skills Stage and other activities as possible   Reflect – get students to think on the activities they have participated in and how this learning relates back to the work they do in the classroom.

At the show Network - take the opportunity to speak with exhibitors to further enhance your learning on what they do and see if you can take some of this learning back to school. Get some CPD – Visit the staff room and gain exposure to a host of resources and advice, also offering you the opportunity to share any new ideas or approaches in careers education with fellow professionals.

After the show Follow up with any contacts you made and thank them for their time, remind them of your interest and desire to work with them in the future. Evaluation – please look out for an evaluation form which will be sent out to you post show, for you to offer your feedback on the experience. Register – if you were interested in the some of the activities you saw at the show and wanted further practical resources you could use in your classroom, do register to receive a copy of WorldSkills Career Planning toolkit.

Resources The Challenge Network has the contract to deliver the National Citizen Service in Manchester, which gives 15 to 17 years-old, the chance to embark on exhilarating challenges, to make their mark and build skills for work and life. - http://the-challenge.org/ City Year UK Greater Manchester – place volunteers in schools to support pupils from disadvantaged communities to enjoy and succeed at school Job Centre Plus – they offer support from a personal advisers to help those unemployed find the right job. Accenture’s Skills to Succeed Academy - is a free, highly interactive, online training programme which helps disadvantaged young people, aged 15 - 24, build skills and confidence to make career choices and develop the key employability skills they need to find and sustain employment. U-Explore – is a free careers software that helps you guide your students towards clear, comprehensive and impartial information that’s always relevant to them.  Sharp Futures - is a social enterprise that supports young people into employment in the creative digital sector) Careers and Enterprise Company Enterprise (CEC) Adviser Network - Through the network CEC join individual Enterprise Advisers – senior volunteers from the world of business – with headteachers and leadership teams in schools and colleges.