Achievements at Aldershot 2023
That’s a wrap on our first Employment Fair of 2023 which was held in the Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre on February 16th, 2023. This event hosted over 70 forces friendly organisations who were keen to dip their toe into the amazing pool of talent which is the Armed Forces Community and with over 400 attendees coming to explore the opportunities offered within a wide variety of sectors.
This event would not have been possible without our corporate sponsors AIS Survivex and NASC who we have had long standing relationships with!
The BFRS team set off on the 15th February to give them enough time to set up the exhibitor hall and receptions for the event and after a long 3 hour drive to Aldershot from our home office to get a full nights rest to ensure they we’re ready for the day ahead. Our set up process includes folding out tables for exhibitors, laying out our reception so we can sign in attendees and letting in the early bird companies who want to set up their stand the night before. This might sound like a simple task to most but making sure each exhibitor gets their accurate measurements and that our reception doesn’t interfere with the day-to-day operations is one thing we pride ourselves on to make sure people get the experience they were promised.
It isn’t all hard work and sweat though as once we have our layout done we always head down to a local restaurant or pub to have a team meal. Getting to sit down, eat and relax as a team is only one of the many reasons we enjoy these events because getting to know your colleagues outside of a work environment is a treat within itself.
After a brisk 06:45 start from the BFRS team we leave our hotel to head to the event location for final preparations before we open the doors for attendees at 09:15. This time allows us to set up electronics, remaining exhibitors to set up their stand and for us to ensure there are as little mishaps as possible. Although that can’t always be helped! No event can start without our incomparable Dominic Hamburg giving his brief to all of our exhibitors to make sure they know what is expected of them, we’re all here presenting to the Armed Forces Community while representing our own company and brand, so we have all have to be on the same page.
With a line of people already forming, we open up our reception to get the first wave of people into the hall and exploring the opportunities. Within minutes our main hall was full of potential candidates for our partnering companies and the day had truly begun. Throughout the day we had a constant flow of attendees meaning the environment was always lively and bustling, not a single stand was unvisited and both exhibitors and attendees got to see the full potential and benefits of a BFRS Careers Fair. We were also honoured to have been visited by some Aldershot VIPs like the Mayor of Rushmoor, the Garrison Sergeant Major, and the Garrison Commander, them being able to take time out of their day to visit our event means a lot and we appreciate their presence.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses though, despite the beautiful weather we had, as a Wi-Fi issue was the hot topic of the day. Unfortunately, things like this happen and they are out of your control, but the responsive nature of our team meant most people were still running smoothly, its all about how you react to a problem, and we have to thank our exhibitors for being patient with us and understanding.
We take pride in the services we provide our exhibitors as we host a lunch to all of our presenters at 12:00 to ensure they all have something to eat during the day because we know its all to easy to get caught up in the experience and forget to fuel your body. That’s why we also provide free tea and coffee to both exhibitors and attendees, graciously provided and served by the Gherka Welfare Trust, with Gary Ghale being the one who accepted their honorary donation of £500.00 from BFRS for all of the hard work they do year-round.
As our Careers Fair comes to a close and we say our farewells to those who attended we take a moment to thank not only the forces friendly companies that spoke with the AFC but ourselves for being a well-oiled machine and making this event possible. From our reception team who were constantly polite and timely, to our marketing person who captured all of the day’s photos and videos and our managers who spent their day networking with their clients and giving tours to our VIPs. Not to mention those who were back in our main office dealing with in house calls and posting on our social media. A big well done to the BFRS team!
Then we all packed away our things, tidied up the sports centre and prepared ourselves for the long journey home. Luckily for some of our staff they got to take a long nap in the car while the unlucky ones had to drive. All in all, we consider this event a rousing success and we hope we have now set a new wave of potential service leavers on a path to civilian life. If you attended this event and have something to say about your experience let us know below.
This is only the start of what we have to offer throughout 2023 so make sure you stay up to date with our events and updates throughout the upcoming months!
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