Austin Friars School pupils have been shaping their futures with the help of local businesses and universities at an inaugural Careers Day event in Carlisle.

Hosted as part of National Careers Week, a celebration of careers guidance in education across the UK, the event invited Year 9 to VI Form students to inform and advise them about available opportunities within Cumbria and further afield.

Employers in attendance were from a range of sectors and included HSBC, Thomas Graham, Sellafield, Cumbria Fire Service, Cumbria Police, Blood Bikes Cumbria, North West Ambulance Service, Royal Navy, Tullie House, NHS, and more.

A series of sessions also took place throughout the day, with University of Cumbria and Northumbria University sharing details on personal statements, preparing for interviews, resilience and student finance.

News and Star: The Careers Day event at Austin Friars School was a big hit, with employers, universities and apprenticeship providers in attendance.The Careers Day event at Austin Friars School was a big hit, with employers, universities and apprenticeship providers in attendance. (Image: Supplied)

Becca Care, head of careers at Austin Friars, organised the event and said: "We could never have anticipated the success of this event, and would like to thank everyone involved for supporting our pupils.

"Choosing a career or training pathway can be a confusing decision to make, and the aim of events like this is to help students to make an informed decision.

"We aim to host more Careers Days in the future, which in turn will benefit all of the schools in Carlisle and surrounding areas."

Year 10 pupil Isla Newton said: "The event was beneficial and showcased lots of options that you can go into once you leave school.

"Before attending I wanted to be a nurse but, after speaking to the NHS team, now want to become a paramedic."

News and Star: Key Stage 3 pupils at Austin Friars celebrated National Careers Week by taking part in obstacle courses and teamwork challenges.Key Stage 3 pupils at Austin Friars celebrated National Careers Week by taking part in obstacle courses and teamwork challenges. (Image: Supplied)

Year 12 student Xander Evans said: "I found the Careers Day informative and discovered Strathclyde University there, who I hadn’t heard of previously.

"I’ve wanted to be an engineer for the last 10 years and hope to study in the aerospace sector.”

The School celebrated National Careers Week with several other organised events including a trip to UCAS Discovery Exhibition in Manchester, guest speakers, enterprise tasks, obstacle courses, bleep tests and teamwork challenges.

Apprenticeship providers from across the region were also on-hand to showcase a range of opportunities within their sectors.