COMPASS Jobs Fair returned last week at the Birmingham Conference & Events Centre.
We would like to thank all exhibitors, visitors, and this years' sponsor, Birmingham Children's Trust, for making the event such a successful and positive day.
Visitors who attended the event were able to meet a wide range of social work employers, including the Event Sponsor, Birmingham Children's Trust, and Media Partner, Social Work Today. Visitors could speak to local authority employers (Coventry City Council, Dudley Council, Leicestershire County Council, North Somerset Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Staffordshire County Council, Swindon Borough Council, Torbay Council, West Sussex County Council and City of Wolverhampton Council) as well as service providers, (Beacon Childcare, Cellmark, Dudley Lodge, Mulberry Bush, Sandwell Children's Trust) and recruitment agencies (Day Webster, Reed Social Care and Remedy Social Care).
One social work student said it was a great opportunity to meet local authorities:
"The exhibition was insightful, and i enjoyed meeting all the different local authorities. The event is great for networking and learning more about different service providers and their current vacancies".
Visitors also had access to over 40 seminars, workshops and films exploring current trends and developments in social work and social care.
Event Sponsor, Birmingham Children’s Trust, hosted an opening address by Chief Executive, Andy Couldrick on Social Work in 2021: Stronger social workers, stronger families. There were also be seminars exploring different pathways and experiences at Birmingham Children’s Trust, including how the Trust can support your career pathway through the Social Work Academy and the guidance they offer those completing their ASYE, NAAS and Return to Social Work programme.
Another social worker said that it was great to attend a range of different seminars:
“There was an interesting choice of seminars and the speakers were very knowledgeable. It was extremely helpful and interesting listening to people with lived experiences such as ‘Honour based Violence’ and ‘Let’s talk about fostering’ seminars”.
Other seminars included a panel discussion on how social workers should engage with the Care Review, with panellists Ray Jones, Emeritus Professor of Social Work at Kingston University; Ian Gould, a care-experienced retired Probation Manager; Nushra Mansuri, Social Worker and Assistant Professor in Social Work, Coventry University; and Annabel Goddard, Post-Graduate Researcher, Loughborough University and Foster Carer, addressing the concerns for social workers and related professionals with the Review, its early findings, and its direction of travel.
Visitors also enjoyed the opportunity to gain career advice through the Career Planning Programme, and were provided with first-hand guidance by Steve Stuart, who spoke about 'bossing it' in social work interviews and finding the 'perfect fit' on what to look for in a social work employer.
Commenting on the interview seminars, one social worker said:
“There were interesting and relevant seminars on throughout the day and I found the interviewing techniques and tips particularly engaging and worthwhile”.
Visitors were also provided with essential legal knowledge in legal skills & confidence sessions, developed by social workers and legal professionals. These seminars covered changes for the Mental Capacity Act, plus workshops on the best practice for court report writing and how the law can assist social care professionals.
The Social Work Cinema also offered a variety of films for visitors to watch throughout the day including sessions on the health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people, safeguarding adults, and tackling modern slavery.
The COMPASS Jobs Fair returns to London on 22 November 2021. Register for your free ticket here: https://www.compassjobsfair.com/Events/London/Book-Tickets
