A roadshow linked with the nation’s largest skills and careers event will be visiting Suffolk later this month to inform young people about the choices available to them.

The Skills Show on the Road, which was launched last week by its patron Theo Paphitis, of BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den, will be in Trinity Park, Ipswich, on October 22.

As part of a tour of eight towns and cities in the UK, the specially fitted National Express Coach will offer interactive challenges under a range of different skills sets.

Visitors will also be offered advice on careers and apprenticeships and will get the opportunity to meet local employers in the City and Guilds “speed dating area”. Director of marketing, Gail Cohen, said the team was “hugely excited” about the event. “This will provide a unique experience for visitors to see the opportunities that vocational training and skills can offer, as well as give them the chance to actually try their hand at a wide range of skills which will inspire and inform the choices that young people make about their futures,” she added.

“Young people will also have the chance to express themselves through spoken word, rap and vocal performance on the “My Self My Future” stage outside the coach, articulating where they see their future taking them.”

The roadshow is intended to extend the reach of The Skills Show, which takes place at the NEC Birmingham from November 13-15, and is publicised as a “unique event, offering hands-on experiences designed to inspire and provide information and advice for young people of all ages,”.

West Suffolk MP Matthew Hancock, the skills minister, offered his support.

He said: “The Skills Show is an amazing showcase for the vast variety of skills that we have in this country.

“Just as we celebrate our athletes so we champion our skills and inspire young people to make their own mark on industries ranging from engineering to web design.”