Pupils and job seekers met representatives of organisations at the 2019 Employment and Skills event.

The annual fair took place in the Villa Marina, Douglas, with dozens of stalls sharing information about the working world and various careers available in the Isle of Man.

Students from the island’s secondary schools, graduates and members of the public got to ask questions about how they can best prepare for a career they are interested in or find out about the options open to them here. We spoke to a number on the day.

’I’m looking for something here and have moved back from Sheffield,’ said Charlotte Fisher, 22, from Onchan.

She recently graduated with a Masters in journalism.

’I like writing and I’m creative and in journalism you’re fortunate to be able to write about what you want.’

She attended the event in search for a job in this field or in marketing after seeing it advertised in news media and social networks.

Madrian Hull, 21, a University College Isle of Man student, said: ’I’m having a look around to find IT relevant sectors. I’m studying IT and administration at college and I’ve nearly finished.’

She and her friend Melissa Jordan, 18, want to work in the island and think the event is ’helpful’ to see what’s here.

Hillary Gale, a senior biomedical scientist in microbiology in the pathology department at Noble’s Hospital, ran a stall with colleagues.

She said: ’Often people have no idea of what we do.

’The event is a great place to promote what we do and we have had a couple of members of staff join the department as a result of us having the stall here year on year.’

This time, students were given sheets of paper with proposed questions to help them engage with those behind the stalls.

Their pieces of paper were stamped by different representatives after they’d spoken to them.

’It’s made a big difference because students have to come and speak to us when they didn’t necessarily do so much before.

’The whole point of being here is to learn about careers, but how do you start that conversation if you’re a 15-year-old? It’s quite an intimidating thing to do,’ Hillary said.

Sam Cowin, 16, from St Ninian’s High School, is interested in joining the army which had a stall at the event. ’It’s a family thing,’ he said. ’I want to be in a combat role.’

His friend Lewis Runge, 16, said: ’Entering the working world is a big thing, but once you get started it will become a normal thing.

’I’m not really sure what I want to do yet, but possibly something sports-related. The army sounds like an interesting job when you hear about it.’

He added that having a fair makes discovering careers ’a better experience when you’re with your friends’.

Paola Gomes, 31, from Santon, said: ’I’m looking for a job here, but it’s not easy because I’m from Brazil. It’s also not easy to find a job in accountancy, which is what I was doing in Rio de Janeiro.’

She relocated her after her husband got a job in the island. ’Brazil is not safe any more, but here I can feel safe so it’s a great feeling,’ she said.

’Accountancy is my dream job and it would be perfect to do this in the Isle of Man because I love living here.’