Careers fairs for employers
Raise your profile at one of our careers fairs
Part-time Jobs Fair
Held at the start of the academic year, this is one of our busiest fairs as students, both new and returning, seek part-time employment. A perfect event to find employees to fill your part-time and casual positions.
We recommend that students work a maximum of 20 hours per week so as not to compromise their studies. All vacancies must offer at least the National Minimum Wage.
Last year this fair attracted 34 employers and was visited by over 1200 students.
Wednesday 2 October 2024, 11am–2.30pm
Price to exhibit: £30 +VAT [£36] (Included in price: 1 trestle table, Wi-Fi, refreshments (tea/coffee/water, biscuits/fruit) and assistance from our Student Ambassadors. Access to power and a TV screen is available on a first-come first-served basis.
It was great to attend the Part-Time Jobs Fair to promote our range of paid internship opportunities for students across the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business. From the moment we set up our stand, the atmosphere was buzzing with enthusiasm and curiosity. The foot traffic and the quality of interactions exceeded our expectations, providing us with the ideal setting to present our team and the exciting internship opportunities we have to offer. We spoke with a wide variety of students, representing diverse academic backgrounds and skill sets, many of whom went on to apply for roles with us, making the Fair a real success for the team.
Sarah Holcombe and Hannah Irwin, The Bridge, University of Plymouth
STEM Placement & Graduate Fair
The first of our headline careers fairs targeted second-year students seeking a year out in industry (sandwich placement), and final-year students looking to apply for graduate schemes and jobs.
This fair is particularly targeted at organisations recruiting students from Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths degree courses.
Last year this fair attracted 47 employers and was visited by over 550 students.
Included in price: stand space of 2m with 2 x 0.5m tables, Wi-Fi, refreshments (tea/coffee/water, biscuits/fruit, pasty lunch), assistance from our Student Ambassadors and an advert in our digital fair brochure. Access to power and a TV screen is available on a first-come first-served basis.
Wednesday 6 November 2024, 11am–2.30pm
Price to exhibit is based on company size:
- Charity, Not-For-Profit, Micro (less than 11 employees) £60 + VAT [£72]
- SME (11–250 employees), Professional Bodies £120 + VAT [£144]
- Organisations with +250 employees, Recruitment Agencies, £360 + VAT [£432]
Another fantastic event! We love attending this Careers Fair because not only is it slick and well-organised, but the engagement we receive from the students is always so positive. We've been recruiting software engineers from the University for a number of years now and our presence at these events really raises our brand awareness. The conversations we have with students at our stand offers them a real feel for the type of company we are and after the event, it's great to see the flurry of applicants that follows.
Sarah Bailey, Head of Marketing, Core Blue, 2023
All Sector Placement & Graduate Fair
The second of our headline careers fairs targeted to second-year students seeking a year out in industry (sandwich placement), and final-year students looking to apply for graduate schemes, graduate roles and explore opportunities.
Primarily aimed at students from non-STEM courses or for roles open to any degree. (Note: we do not generally see students studying medicine, dentistry, nursing or teaching at our fairs, due to the nature of their courses).
Last year this fair attracted 43 employers and was visited by over 300 students.
Wednesday 13 November 2024, 11am–2.30pm
Price to exhibit is based on company size:
- Charity, Not-For-Profit, Micro (less than 11 employees) £60 + VAT [£72]
- SME (11–250 employees), Professional Bodies £120 + VAT [£144]
- Organisations with +250 employees, Recruitment Agencies, £360 + VAT [£432]
Included in price: stand space of 2m (or 3.5m for those with assembled display stands), 2 or 3 x 0.5m tables, Wi-Fi, refreshments (tea/coffee/water, biscuits/fruit, pasty lunch), assistance from our Student Ambassadors and an advert in our digital fair brochure. Access to power and a TV screen is available on a first-come first-served basis.
The diversity of the students that approached us was great.
EF Education First
South West Placement & Graduate Fair
Do you have placement and graduate roles, you are recruiting for, based in the South West? (Defined as Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Bristol, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire).
Approximately 65% of students at the University are from the South West. Data shows that the South West of England is the most popular region for the University of Plymouth graduates to live and work.
Last year this fair attracted 34 employers and was visited by over 400 students.
Wednesday 19 February 2025, 11am–2.30pm
Price to exhibit is based on company size:
- Charity, Not-For-Profit, Micro (less than 11 employees) £60 + VAT [£72]
- SME (11-250 employees), Professional Bodies £120 + VAT [£144]
- Organisations with +250 employees, Recruitment Agencies, £360 + VAT [£432]
Included in price: stand space of 2m (or 3.5m for those with assembled display stands), 2 or 3 x 0.5m tables, Wi-Fi, refreshments (tea/coffee/water, biscuits/fruit, pasty lunch), assistance from our Student Ambassadors and an advert in our digital fair brochure. Access to power and a TV screen is available on a first-come first-served basis.
It was really positive to see so many students interacting with all of the companies at the University careers fair and showing such an interest in finding about the various job opportunities on offer. We had a high number of students coming to our stand to find out about the placements and jobs we provide and are looking forward to receiving correspondence from the interested students to provide them with the experience and opportunity to work within the field of building services.
Kate Lowman, Graduate Marketing Administrator, SDS
Geo-Environmental Placement & Graduate Fair
This long-running, well-established fair is now celebrating its 20th anniversary during this coming academic year.
It typically attracts companies offering graduate employment and placement opportunities to students studying environmental science, geography, Earth sciences/geology, chemistry, biology, ecology, and marine degrees. Organisations tend to operate in environmental consultancy, land/environmental management, land/seafloor mapping and surveying, geotechnics, energy, renewables, conservation, sustainability, planning, and many more showcasing graduate employment and placement opportunities to students typically studying environmental, geography, Earth sciences/geology, chemistry, biology, ecology and marine degrees.
Last year this fair attracted 53 employers and was visited by over 600 students.
Wednesday 26 February 2025, 12pm–4pm
Price to exhibit is £50 + VAT [£60] (this fair is subsidised by the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences).
Included in price: stand space of 2m with 2 x 0.5m tables, Wi-Fi, refreshments (tea/coffee/water, biscuits/fruit, pasty lunch), assistance from our Student Ambassadors and an advert in our digital fair brochure. Access to power and a TV screen is available on a first-come first-served basis.
We’re regulars to the Geo-Environmental Careers Fair, and there’s a reason we keep coming back – the engagement from the Plymouth students is second to none! So many questions and curiosity in what we do. And the connections we make are often followed through to placements and permanent positions. All around the exhibition space you hear the same from all the stands, ‘We really enjoy coming to this fair, it’s one of the best’.
Hannah Dwane, Geotechnics, 2023
Summer Opportunities Fair
A perfect event to find employees to fill your paid summer positions and internships as well as part time opportunities lasting the summer and beyond.
Over the summer break, most students can work full-time hours, however during term-time we recommend they work no more than 20 your per week so as not to be of detriment to their studies. All vacancies must offer at least the National Minimum Wage
Wednesday 5 March 2025, 12pm–2.30pm
Price to exhibit: £30 + VAT [£36].
Included in price: 1 trestle table, Wi-Fi, refreshments (tea/coffee/water, biscuits/fruit) and assistance from our Student Ambassadors. Access to power and a TV screen is available on a first-come first-served basis.
We thoroughly enjoyed the day at the University of Plymouth and had lots of positive engagement and interest from the student community, some of which have progressed to applications for volunteering opportunities which is fantastic!
Vicky Thresher, Volunteer Manager, DAAT
Be a Fair sponsor
Sponsoring one of our careers fairs is a great way to help raise your profile, and by covering some of the costs incurred by a fair you are directly helping contribute to more event income being invested back to support student bursaries and funded internships. These in turn help develop our students’ employability skills and career journey.
It will also put your brand front and centre, raising your organisation’s profile on campus to both attending students and other exhibitors at a high footfall event.
In exchange for your sponsorship, you will benefit from:
- your logo on all fair marketing
- stand-alone feature in the student digital fair brochure
- prominent signage at the event and within the exhibitor refreshment area
- a prime 3.5m stand location.
- opportunity to feature in a student ‘What’s on’ email or email to a targeted group of students.
The cost of sponsoring one of our careers fairs is £500 + VAT (plus cost of stand space).
Allocation will be on a first come, first served basis.
Email us to discuss at employers.careers@plymouth.ac.uk
How to book to exhibit
Bookings are made via our myCareer online platform. If you have attended a fair previously or advertised vacancies, you will already have an account. New users will need to register their company first and then log back in to book.
If you are unsure if your company is registered, please email employers.careers@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Quiet time
We dedicate a period at each of our fairs to be ‘Quiet time’ where we try and create a calmer and quieter environment by dimming the marquee lights, turning off music and moving images on screens. This provides a more suitable ambience for any student who would benefit from exploring the fair in a calmer setting.
We are a diverse university which strives to be an open and accessible organisation; one that upholds the values of equality and diversity and actively stands against all forms of discrimination. You can read more in our
Good Practice Guide
.
FAQs
How do I make a payment?
Payments can quickly and easily be made with a credit card via our online eStore, our preferred payment method. If you do not have a company credit card, we can raise an invoice on the production of a Purchase Order (PO) number. Payments cannot be accepted before 1 August, which is when the University's financial year starts. Payment will normally need to be made before your space is confirmed.
When do I need to book by?
We would advise booking at your earliest opportunity as spaces fill up quickly. Bookings close four weeks prior to the event date or when capacity is reached (whichever comes first).
What happens to the money paid to exhibit?
After recouping our costs to deliver the fair, the remaining money is repurposed to fund opportunities for underrepresented students by way of:
The Career Insight Programme. This programme includes 100 hours of experience within a University department or external organisation, working on a clearly defined project. Upon successful completion of the programme, the student will be awarded a bursary payment of £1,000.
The Careers Development Bursary. This bursary, worth up to £250, is intended to help students access career development opportunities that would otherwise not be possible due to the costs involved.
Is there parking at the University?
Due to our city-centre location we are unable to provide any campus parking for our fairs, except for Blue Badge holders. There are several public car parks within a short walk from the campus.
On the day of the fair, a designated ten-minute loading/unloading area is available close to the venue. We will have Student Ambassadors on hand to assist with unloading and transportation to the Marquee. Vehicles will then need to be removed and parked elsewhere.
When can I set up my stand? Can I send materials in advance?
Arrival is from 2.5 hours before the event starts, and we request stands are set up by 30 minutes before the fair opens to students. Exact timings will be provided in your arrival information.
We are unable to accept deliveries of any stand literature prior to the event. If you are unable to transport your own stand and literature, please arrange to use a courier for delivery and collection of your materials on the day of the event.
FAO: COMPANY NAME @ THE CAREERS FAIR, Rolle Marquee, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA
What if I need to cancel after my booking has been confirmed?
In the event of a cancellation the following charges are applied in line with our Terms and Conditions which can be found on our booking form.
- Cancellations received four weeks or more before the event date: No charge.
- Cancellations received less than four before the event date: 100% of the full agreed price.
How sustainable are your fairs?
The University of Plymouth prides itself on its
sustainability credentials
and aims to improve year on year. We constantly review and find new ways of working to improve the green footprint of our fairs. Recent improvements include:
- becoming paperless with our processes
- reducing the amount of printing on the day, instead sending information for exhibitors in advance by email
- creating re-useable materials
- creating digital brochures for students, accessed via a QR Code
- encouraging exhibitors to refill water bottles at water points
- the University’s catering team aims to use as much locally produced free-range and
Fairtrade ingredients as possible and are working towards achieving Fairtrade Accreditation.