Beyond the Obvious: Encouraging Year 12 Students to Examine Every Opportunity

25^th March 2026 | St Paul’s Way School

Sponsored by QMUL, UEL and University of Greenwich

  

Book your space

About the UST Futures Fair

The UST Futures Fair is a unique event designed to inspire Year 12 students as they begin shaping their post‑18 pathways. Built around the theme “Beyond the Obvious”, students will be encouraged to explore a wider range of opportunities, challenge assumptions, and discover routes they may not have previously considered.

This event brings together a range of undergraduate and apprenticeship providers to help students understand the breadth of options available to them.

Attendees will also have the chance to hear from special guests who have chosen the less trodden route in their chosen pathways.

What Makes This Event Different

Unlike traditional progression fairs, the UST Futures Fair avoids repeating the familiar. We do not cover topics such as:

• How to apply to university
• Oversubscribed or highly traditional courses
• Student finance or funding routes.

Instead, the focus is on curiosity, exploration and possibility. Students are encouraged to think creatively about their futures and to look beyond the most common or expected pathways.

What Students Will Experience

Students attending the Futures Fair will have the opportunity to:

• Speak directly with universities, apprenticeship providers, and specialist organisations
• Explore a wide range of courses and qualifications
• Learn how different programmes are taught and what skills they develop
• Engage in interactive sessions that broaden their thinking
• Discover emerging industries and future‑focused career routes.

The event is designed to help students build confidence, ask bold questions and make informed decisions about their next steps.

Inspiring Keynote Speakers

Throughout the day, students will hear from young adults whose journeys reflect the theme of going “beyond the obvious”. These speakers will share:

• How they navigated unexpected opportunities
• The challenges they faced
• The role resilience played in their success
• How thinking differently shaped their career or education pathway.

Their stories aim to motivate students to approach their own futures by thinking beyond the obvious.

Session Times

Schools can book one of three identical sessions:

• Session 1: 9:00 – 10:30am
• Session 2: 11:00am – 12:30pm
• Session 3: 2:00 – 3:30pm

Each session offers the same high‑quality experience, allowing schools to choose the time that best suits their timetable.

Book your School’s Space

Each session can cater for up to 200 students and places will be given on a first come, first served basis.

Please contact Cleo O’Flaherty ([email protected]) to register your interest by February 25^th.

Why This Event Matters

The UST Futures Fair supports high‑quality careers education by providing:

• Meaningful encounters with post-18 providers
• Exposure to a diverse range of pathways
• Opportunities to develop critical thinking and decision‑making skills.

By encouraging students to look beyond the obvious, the event helps them build a future that is informed, ambitious and uniquely their own.