Jobs Fair success!

More than 1,500 people were welcomed to Darlington Jobs Fair, at the Dolphin Centre, last week.

The free event, which took place on Thursday 8 February, was hosted by Darlington Borough Council, and coincided with National Apprenticeship Week.

Attracting both public sector organisations and private businesses from industries including healthcare, life science construction, engineering, professional services, manufacturing, retail, transport and logistics, the jobs fair boasted a wealth of opportunities, including local apprenticeships, for people of all ages, interests and backgrounds.

Representatives from several support organisations were also on hand to offer help, advice and guidance to people seeking employment and experiencing barriers to finding work; with specific support available for veterans, people whose first language was not English and those with qualifications from other countries. Local education and training providers were also on site, signposting people to appropriate learning opportunities to help them achieve their career goals.

Around 70 students from colleges in Darlington also had the opportunity to attend a seminar  about employment opportunities within the civil service. The session was delivered by staff from Darlington Economic Campus (DEC), including current apprentices, and provided young people with an insight into working at the heart of government, career structures and recruitment processes.

Cllr Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy, said: "Darlington is a great town, with a thriving and diverse local economy. We are committed to generating high quality, secure, well paid employment opportunities for local people and have made significant investments to attract new and varied businesses to the town.

“The jobs fair is a great way to let local people know about the breadth of opportunities available right now, on our doorstop, while helping employers find the right people to fill their posts.  It also offers a one-stop-shop where people can get the help they need to get the job they want.

“I am delighted to see the jobs fair continuing to go from strength to strength and would like to thank everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event such a huge success."

People who are seeking employment, considering a new job or close to completing a qualification,  who were not able to attend on the day, can find details and contact information for employers who exhibited at the event online at www.investindarlington.co.uk. Simply search Jobs Newspaper and visit the ‘Recruitment and skills support’ page.