STUDENTS will scramble for pole position when a huge apprenticeship fair comes to Reading

Organisers say they expect up to 600 youngsters to flock to the Inspiring the Future Apprenticeship Fair on Wednesday, August 21, making it "the largest apprenticeship event Reading has ever seen". The event, which comes hot on the heels of thousands of students picking up their A-Level results yesterday, is being organised by the Central Berkshire Education Business Partnership and will be staged at the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre in the Madejski Stadium.

There are 30 employers and training providers who have confirmed they will be attending the fair, including Visa, Cisco, BDO, Network Rail, Jacobs, Vodafone, Peter Brett Associates and Ernst & Young. All of them boast vacancies and will have representatives on hand to talk to youngsters aged 16-18 about their available opportunities and apprenticeships.

Young people will also be able to register on the National Apprenticeship Service website and work with employers to improve their CV and develop their interview technique.

Finally there will be prizes including Oracle vouchers, Apple products and a signed programme by Reading Football Club's first team up for grabs for keen job seekers to win.

The event will run from 10am-4pm and people can book a place by visiting www.readinginspire.eventbrite.co.uk or by contacting Kelly Odell at Central Berkshire Education Business Partnership on 0118 984 6945.

For more information follow the fair on twitter @CentralBerksEBP like its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CBEBP or visit www.cbebp.co.uk