A further 1500 people are expected to attend before the expo ends this afternoon.
The event had begun positively, with attendance similar to last year, and pupils arriving from Oamaru, the Catlins and Balclutha, as well as from several Dunedin schools, organisers said.
The University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic maintained a strong presence, with other training institutions and many industry and employer representatives also taking part.
It was hoped to change the country's largest and longest-running careers expo series next year to encourage more adults to participate, including employees seeking professional development training or to make a career change, national expo organiser Mark Gillard said.
There were "quite exciting" prospects to increase adult participation by starting the Dunedin expo on a Sunday, when it was easier for adults to attend, Mr Gillard said.
Tertiary institutions as well as various industries and employers could also develop specialised presentations to cater for older trainees or job seekers, he added.
Otago Polytechnic marketing and business development manager Mike Weddell said this week's expo enabled polytechnic staff to alert prospective students to a series of hands-on learning opportunities, and to work closely with university colleagues in a mutually beneficial way.
