Reimagining Careers Expos At Byford Secondary College

For many students, careers expos involve walking from stall to stall collecting as much merchandise as possible before heading home with little understanding of the opportunities available to them. While these events can provide valuable exposure to different industries, they don't always create meaningful conversations or lasting impact.

Byford Secondary College and the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale wanted to challenge that model.

With the nearest major careers expo located almost 45 minutes away in Perth, the school recognised that many students, families and local employers were missing opportunities to connect. Rather than transporting students to a large metropolitan event, they wanted to create a careers expo within their own community that celebrated local industries, showcased regional opportunities and encouraged genuine engagement between attendees and exhibitors.

Working alongside the organising committee, BOP Industries helped design and deliver what has now become the annual Serpentine Jarrahdale Career and Enterprise Expo, welcoming more than 2,000 students and community members each year while connecting them with over 60 industry exhibitors from across the region.

At A Glance

Partners: Byford Secondary College & The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale

Location: Perth, Western Australia

Audience: Years 9-12 students and the broader community

Program Format: Two-day Career and Enterprise Expo

Scale: 60+ exhibitors, 2,000+ attendees annually

Learning Focus: Career education, workforce pathways, industry engagement and community partnerships.

Rethinking The Traditional Careers Expo

From the beginning, the vision was to create an experience that felt very different from a traditional careers expo.

Instead of charging organisations to exhibit, local employers, training providers and community organisations were invited to participate free of charge through sponsorship provided by industry partners and local government. This made it possible for smaller businesses and local employers to showcase the opportunities available within the region alongside larger organisations.

Students weren't encouraged to simply collect brochures. Every exhibitor was asked to include an interactive activity that gave attendees something to experience, whether that was virtual reality demonstrations, practical challenges, industry equipment, simulations or hands-on workshops. Over the years, these activations have included robotic dogs, first aid demonstrations, heavy machinery simulations, virtual reality experiences, engineering challenges and career-based games that sparked conversations and encouraged students to explore industries they may never have considered.

The event also extended beyond a single school day. Alongside a dedicated student program, the expo featured an opening networking event for educators and industry, followed by a community day where families, job seekers and local residents could connect directly with employers, universities and training providers.

Designing More Than Just An Expo

Creating an engaging experience for thousands of attendees required much more than organising exhibitors.

Working alongside Byford Secondary College and the Shire, BOP Industries designed and managed every stage of the event, including the event branding, website, exhibitor recruitment, ticketing platform, venue layout, marketing campaign, speaker program and attendee communications. Student handbooks, venue maps, scavenger hunts and digital resources were also developed to help attendees make the most of their experience before, during and after the event.

Rather than viewing event management as simply coordinating logistics, every element was designed to encourage meaningful conversations between students and employers while making career exploration engaging, accessible and memorable.

Putting Students At The Centre

The student experience was central to every decision made throughout the planning process.

Each visiting school participated in a structured program beginning with a welcome session and panel discussion featuring young professionals sharing their own career journeys and practical advice. Students then explored the expo through interactive industry precincts, supported by resources that encouraged them to ask questions, record ideas and reflect on future pathways rather than simply collecting promotional material.

This approach helped students engage more confidently with exhibitors while giving industry representatives more meaningful opportunities to share the wide range of careers available within their organisations.

The Results

Since launching in 2023, the Serpentine Jarrahdale Career and Enterprise Expo has continued to grow each year.

Across the first three years, the event has welcomed more than 4,100 students, 1,690 community members, 188 exhibitors and 36 speakers, while maintaining attendee satisfaction ratings consistently above 4.5 out of 5. Exhibitors have praised the organisation of the event and many have reported establishing valuable workforce connections, including recruiting school-based trainees directly through the expo.

More importantly, student feedback consistently shows increased confidence in exploring career pathways, speaking with industry professionals and understanding the opportunities available within their own community.

Why This Approach Worked

The success of the Serpentine Jarrahdale Career and Enterprise Expo came from recognising that meaningful career education is about more than simply bringing employers into a room.

By designing an experience centred around authentic conversations, hands-on learning and strong community partnerships, the expo has become an annual event that benefits students, schools, employers and the broader region alike.

It demonstrates what's possible when schools, local government and industry work together to create opportunities that inspire the next generation while strengthening local workforce pathways.

Looking To Create A Career Event For Your Community?

Every community has its own industries, workforce challenges and opportunities.

At BOP Industries, we work alongside schools, local governments, universities and industry partners to design engaging education events that connect young people with future pathways. From careers expos and innovation festivals to student conferences and industry showcases, we manage the entire experience from concept development and stakeholder engagement through to delivery and post-event evaluation.

If you're looking to create a career event that brings your community together and leaves a lasting impact, we'd love to help bring your vision to life.

Get in touch with our team today: www.bopindustries.com/contact-us

Looking to find out more about our event management services, industry immersion days or industry innovation challenges? You can find out more by clicking here.