Aberdeen Jobs Fair attracts almost 1200 visitors
26 October 2017
A festive jobs fair has been hailed a resounding success after attracting almost 1200 jobs hunters in just three hours.
The fair, held at the Town House on 18 October, was the first of its kind in the city since 2010. It was a joint initiative between Aberdeen City Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.
The event, which promoted seasonal and permanent roles, showcased 33 employers and over 550 vacancies - with 40 attendees signing up for extra help through the £2.2million Progress Through Positive Partnerships project.
Employers in attendance included First, Yodel, Clarks, Marks & Spencer, Donald Russell and Premier Inn as well as Stagecoach, Debenhams, Compass Group, Primark, the British Army and Royal Air Force. Jobs available were in sectors including retail, driving, care, and hospitality.
Councillor Yvonne Allan, Aberdeen City Council’s Communities, Housing and Infrastructure convener, said: “The jobs fair was a positive example of collaborative working through the Progress Through Positive Partnerships. The project aims to improve the co-ordination of service provision and ensure that those in need of it receive tailored support.
“I was pleased to see the high attendance at the fair this week and hope those who took part are successful in securing the jobs they seek.”
Partnership Manager Kirsty Jarman, from the Department for Work and Pensions, said: “This was the first job fair of this kind in Aberdeen for a number of years and there and we were delighted by the positive response from city employers.
“It was great to see such high attendance numbers from the public on the day. The interest proved there is an appetite for this kind of event in the city and DWP and Aberdeen City Council will continue to work together through Progress Through Positive Partnerships to assist those looking for work .“
Progress Through Positive Partnerships participants will benefit from a wide range of training options in areas including engineering skills, welding, care, computing skills, one to one support, CV building, job seeking skills, interview skills, literacy, numeracy and language support, media skills, cookery and outdoor pursuits.
The project, which has secured £880,000 (40%) from the European Structural Fund, provides increased levels of support and additional opportunities to help people with multiple barriers to move closer to the labour market by enabling them to develop relevant skills based on their individual needs and abilities.
Each participant will be assigned a key worker, who will help identify their barriers to work as well as the aspirations before creating a bespoke action plan, with the ultimate aim of securing work, training, education or volunteering opportunities.