Wednesday was a memorable day as the annual careers fair organised by Cross Reach was held in Erskine Waterfront Campus (EWC).

Cross Reach has been providing social care services for vulnerable children and adults in Glasgow and wider Scotland for more than 150 years. This includes running an education programme at EWC for boys and girls aged eight to 18 with additional support needs.

Such learning is a mix of subject-based learning and interdisciplinary learning, with career days like these informing the students of their career potential.

(Image: Cross Reach) The event was attended by more than 20 organisations which included the fire service, police, Ashley Scott Construction, Hamilton Brothers, up and coming DJ ‘JOD’ from the PRTY agency, among others.

Speaking of the event, employability teacher Emma Heaney described it as an ‘‘opportunity to combat the stigma surrounding our school by inviting members of the community to see how we run".

An event that started in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic on the school field, Cross Reach’s career fair at EWC serves to give the students an insight into career opportunities available to them.

(Image: Cross Reach) This includes giving students the chance to practice working in these fields through live demonstrations.

Yesterday saw DJ JOD allow the students to give it a go mixing music on his set-up. This proved to be especially popular with one of Emma's students describing the day as the best of her life.

By giving the students the chance to learn practical skills from these professionals, it is the hope of Cross Reach that they end up in a desired career path long-term.

(Image: Cross Reach) ‘‘I never intended for the event to grow into what it is today,’’ Emma said.

The event has grown to the point where similar organisations have stated their desire to return the following year. This includes the charity Kibble, which likewise provides support for at-risk children and young people (aged five to 26) across the UK.

‘‘It’s nice for our students to mingle with other members of the community,’’ Emma added.

(Image: Cross Reach) As well as members of the community in Glasgow, the career fair also saw both primary and secondary students from North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire in attendance. These schools included Park Mains High School and St Anne’s Primary School.

Such was the popularity of the event that the headteacher of Bishopton Primary School stated her intention to bring their students to EWC again next year.

‘‘We make sure that everything we do is done with love, care, and compassion,’’ Emma said.

Cross Reach is a charity rooted in the Christian faith and acts to reflect the values of Christianity in its work, most notably love and support for all in challenging circumstances. This extends towards Cross Reach’s residential facilities across Glasgow which similarly care for those in dire circumstances.

Through events such as this career fair, Emma and others in Cross Reach are hopeful that the business will continue to grow and act on its stated purpose of helping those in need.