What University? & What Career? Live returns to Olympia London this weekend, bringing more than 100 universities and employers together under one roof for school leavers weighing up their next step. The free event runs on Friday 13 November from 9.30am to 3pm and Saturday 14 November from 10am to 4pm in the National Hall at Olympia, Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX.

The exhibition is aimed at 15 to 19-year-olds considering what comes after school or college, whether that is a university degree, a degree apprenticeship, another apprenticeship route or going straight into work. Visitors can speak directly with university representatives and company recruiters, get one-to-one advice from careers advisers and attend free talks on student finance, university applications, gap years and studying abroad.

Who will be there

More than 100 universities and employers are listed for the London event, including the University of Oxford, the University of Birmingham, the University of Exeter and the University of Glasgow, alongside employers such as Coca-Cola, Bosch, British Airways, the Metropolitan Police and NHS Health Careers. The Government Finance Function and Get Into Teaching are also among the exhibitors, and apprenticeship providers will be on hand to explain how earn-while-you-learn routes work.

The programme includes a keynote talk by Alex Atherton, Future proofing your career in the age of AI, alongside a series of free talks covering everything from student finance and university applications to the benefits of an apprenticeship and finding the right career path. Schools can also book free trips for Year 11 to Year 13 students, with organisers saying time slots are filling up fast.

Free entry, registration required

Entry is free, but registration is required, and visitors are advised to book in advance through the event website. The event is organised by Venture Marketing Group under its What Next? brand, and the Olympia venue listing confirms the dates, opening times and free ticket price.

The London show is the latest in a busy autumn for school-leaver careers events. Scottish Careers Week is running across Scotland this week, Walsall is hosting an Apprenticeship Show this evening, and a string of large employers, including the BBC, Lloyds, National Grid and Babcock, have opened apprenticeship and graduate applications for 2027 in recent weeks. For teenagers still deciding, the weekend offers a rare chance to compare university, apprenticeship and direct employment routes side by side, and to ask the people who run those programmes what each path really involves day to day. See the event details on the Olympia London website, and view the full list of exhibitors at WhatCareerLive.co.uk.