Pupils will have access to careers advice and the chance to experience a huge range of jobs at the third annual Skills Show, which will run from November 13 to 15 at the Birmingham NEC.

Organisers last week unveiled their plans for the event, which is expected to attract about 80,000 children from schools across the UK.

Show patron Theo Paphitis and former Dragon’s Den investor said: “This show goes a long way to helping and inspiring kids and giving them the opportunity to just start imagining what they’re going to do for the rest of their lives.”

The entrepreneur told Academies Week that it was important to keep school pupils returning to the show.

“Why would we expect a kid to get inspiration the first time around?

“We need to keep bringing them here every year from a very early age and seeing lots of things because as their character changes, what turns them on and what they want to do for the future changes.”

There will be more than 50 hands-on activities, including furniture design, media make-up, games design and forensics.

Ross Maloney, chief executive of Find a Future, which organises the show said: “We know schools have a statutory requirement to deliver careers advice and we see the Skills Show as a very tangible way of doing that — bringing your young people to it will enable you to impart some of that advice and guidance.”

A Skills Show roadshow will also take place between October 21 and November 8, with a specially commissioned bus kitted out with have-a-go activities visiting Leicester, Ipswich, Durham, Liverpool, London, Portsmouth, Bath and Birmingham.

Anyone interested in taking pupils to the Skills Show or the roadshow should visit www.theskillsshow.com.