Students met employers face-to-face and explored hands-on career options.
Hello Future 2025 welcomed 1,500 young people from across Brighton & Hove to The Wing at the Brighton Centre in a full-day programme designed to open doors to a wide range of industries and career pathways.
The event, which took place on Thursday, December 4, connected students with more than 50 businesses, employers and entrepreneurs from across Sussex.
Penny Daly, enterprise coordinator at the West Sussex, Brighton and Hove Careers Hub, said: "Hello Future, now in its fifth year, continues to provide students from across the city and beyond the opportunity to develop essential skills, such as building confidence in communication.
"Equally, it offers businesses a valuable platform to hear directly from students, helping to shape future strategies and showcasing that our careers hub is built on collaboration."
The event featured employers from creative and digital, hospitality, construction, finance, health and sustainability sectors.
Organised by Brighton Chamber in partnership with the careers hub, Hello Future 2025 aimed to build confidence, spark curiosity and help students see how their strengths could translate into a meaningful career.
More than 60 American Express colleagues supported the day, assisting with logistics, welcoming students and guiding them around the skills fair.
Students took part in hands-on activities, listened to talks and heard first-hand accounts of career journeys, from traditional routes to unconventional "squiggly paths" and portfolio careers.
The programme included talks from professionals at different stages of their careers.
Highlights included a discussion on creativity and resilience with lyricist and rapper Boudicca Pepper and Kaia Allen-Bevan from Edge of Difference.
Other talks explored careers with purpose, featuring Tom Willis from Shoreham Port, and the impact of AI on the workplace with Mary Kemp from AI Potential.
Sarah Springford, CEO at Brighton Chamber, said: "We've really enjoyed bringing students together with local employers from Brighton's business community.
"Hello Future has been such a rewarding day, offering a unique opportunity for us to facilitate conversations between young people and employers to find out what skills they need in their next steps towards their career."