Held in the Hub, the fair brought together local employers and organisations to offer students advice on a wide range of career opportunities available to them after graduation.
Among those attending were alumni Tom Rowlands and Jay Southward, who returned to Edge Hill representing their current employers and sharing how their experiences at the University helped shape their professional journeys.
Tom Rowlands graduated in 2014 with a BA (Hons) Sports Development and is now an Outreach Officer for Junior parkrun in the North West. His role involves growing participation in the events and encouraging as many young people as possible to get involved in their local communities.
Tom attended the fair to introduce students to Junior parkrun and encourage them to volunteer. The local event takes place at Coronation Park every Sunday at 9am, alongside Junior parkrun events held across the country.
Run by volunteers, Junior parkrun offers students the opportunity to develop valuable skills, including community engagement, public speaking, teamwork and communication, while helping to promote health and wellbeing among young people.
Tom returned to campus for the first time since graduating in 2014. Reflecting on his time at Edge Hill, he explained how the knowledge and practical experience gained during his degree had helped prepare him for his career.
Jay Southward graduated in 2017 with a BA (Hons) Physical Education and School Sport. He attended the fair on behalf of the Civil Service to promote the Civil Service Fast Stream, a three-year graduate development programme that can provide a route towards managerial roles.
Since leaving Edge Hill, Jay has built a varied career in education. He worked as a PE teacher at Tower College in Rainhill, where he progressed to become Head of PE, Head of Behaviour and Head of Safeguarding.
Jay credited his time at Edge Hill with helping to prepare him for these responsibilities, particularly through the University’s focus on pedagogy and the wider purpose of physical education.
He explained that his studies helped him understand that PE is about much more than sport, it is about instilling a lifelong enjoyment of physical activity. This philosophy was reflected in his experience at Tower College, where he valued the school’s culture of building pupils’ confidence, nurturing their development and helping them reach their potential.
Although Jay has since moved into the Civil Service, he has not ruled out a return to teaching in the future.
Tom and Jay’s return to campus highlighted the diverse career paths available to Edge Hill graduates, as well as the lasting value of the knowledge, skills and experiences gained at university.
It was wonderful to welcome Tom and Jay back to Edge Hill and hear first-hand how their experiences at the University have helped shape their careers since graduation.
If you’re interested in sharing your career journey and inspiring the next generation of graduates by taking part in a careers fair or alumni panel, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with our Alumni Team at [email protected] to find out more.
October 28, 2026
