Around 1,500 young people will meet more than 50 employers at the ninth Future First Careers Expo at Newark Showground on Thursday 12 November 2026. The annual event runs from 9.30am to 2.30pm at the Lady Eastwood Centre, and is organised by Newark and Sherwood District Council in partnership with The Lincoln Group and the Newark Advertiser.

The expo invites students from across Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to talk directly with local and national businesses, as well as education and training providers, about the opportunities available to them after school. The council says students get the chance to be introduced to industries and career paths they may not have come into contact with before, to ask specific questions about their futures and to gain first-hand insight into working life.

Who is attending

According to the council's expo organiser, around 1,500 young people will attend from schools across Newark, Sherwood, Lincoln, Grantham and Nottingham. Exhibitors have been thanked for giving up time from busy schedules to engage with and inspire the students, with the organisers saying that one conversation could make all the difference to a young person's future career pathway.

More than 50 businesses are taking part, alongside education and training providers. The mix covers local employers and national organisations, giving students a broad view of the jobs, apprenticeships and training routes available in the area and further afield.

An annual fixture for the district

The Future First Careers Expo is now in its ninth year, and the council organises it each year with its partners. The event has become a fixture in the district's calendar for schools, with students travelling from across Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to attend at the Newark Showground site.

The Lady Eastwood Centre, where the expo is held, is one of the showground's main event buildings. Doors open at 9.30am and the event closes at 2.30pm on Thursday 12 November.

For businesses and training providers

Businesses and education and training providers interested in having a stand at the expo can contact the council's organiser, Veronica Dennant, at veronica.dennant@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk. The council says the event is aimed at connecting employers with their future workforce, and at giving students a realistic picture of the careers open to them.

Full details of the expo are published on the Newark and Sherwood District Council website, and the organiser has also confirmed the date, times and expected attendance in a post ahead of the event.