Nottingham: first Youth Guarantee jobs fair attracted around 770 young people

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced on 19 October 2026 the first Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair in Nottingham. The event took place at Meadow Lane stadium, home of Notts County.

Who came and what was on offer

According to the DWP, around 770 young people attended the fair. Employers and organisations had prepared more than 600 vacancies, as well as apprenticeships, training and traineeship opportunities. The government announcement mentions almost 65 large companies, while the additional information refers to more than 65 employers and organisations from Nottingham.

Exhibitors included Amazon, Boots, East Midlands Railway, PureGym, Hovis, Manchester Airport Group (East Midlands Airport) and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Public bodies and services were also present, including Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Police, HMRC, the army and the Royal Navy. They were joined by care sector companies, recruitment agencies, charities and Nottingham College.

Attendees could get practical advice on how to look for vacancies, fill in applications and prepare for an interview. In one workshop, Google showed how to use artificial intelligence to improve CVs, prepare for interviews and plan a career.

What the Youth Guarantee is

The Youth Guarantee is a government support package intended to give every young person a chance of work or learning. The government says that everyone under 25 is to be offered one of the following routes:

• employment,
• further education,
• an apprenticeship,
• a traineeship, work placement or Sector-Based Work Academy Programme (SWAP).

The Minister for Employment, Andrew Western, said that at the fairs young people meet employers with current vacancies, and some secure interviews on the spot.

Further fairs and the scale of the programme

Similar fairs have previously been held in Blackpool, Glasgow, Cardiff, London and Leeds. According to the DWP, more than 1,000 young people have already started a job, apprenticeship or training as a result. The government says there will be at least one fair in every region of Great Britain. The whole youth support package is expected to cost £2.5 billion, reach almost a million young people and create 500,000 opportunities.

What this means for Poles in the UK

The announcement does not mention people from abroad or any citizenship requirements. The fair was aimed at young residents of the region, so younger Poles living in Nottingham and the surrounding area can keep an eye out for announcements of further Youth Guarantee events. It is worth checking the conditions of participation and eligibility for programmes, such as apprenticeships, with the organisers or at your local Jobcentre Plus.