A month to go until Telford’s biggest jobs fair
Telford and Wrekin’s Partnership for Jobs fair will return to The International Centre in exactly one month’s time on Wednesday 18 March.
Last year’s jobs fair, the first organised by the Council, attracted around 4,000 job seekers and over 100 businesses.
This year, in addition to the jobs fair, there will also be an employer led Partnership for Careers event the following day, on Thursday 19 March, for young people to find out more about career paths.
This comes as figures released today show that the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) in the borough has increased slightly, for the first time in 12 months.
The number of JSA claimants in Telford and Wrekin has increased by 130 from 1,920 in December 2014 to 2,050 in January 2015, a rise of 6.8 per cent.
The number of young people, aged 16–24, claiming JSA has increased by 15 to 550 in January 2015, an increase of 2.8 per cent on the month before. This is a smaller increase than seen in the West Midlands (5.6 per cent increase).
The number of 16–24 year olds claiming JSA in the borough has almost halved when compared to a year previously (January 2014), with 485 less young people, or a decrease of 46.9 per cent.
This rate remains faster than those in the same period seen by the West Midlands (down by 39.9 per cent) and England (down by 40.9 per cent).
The Partnership for Jobs and Careers events next month will offer local job seekers the chance to meet with businesses and to find out about employment, training and apprenticeship opportunities.
The Partnership for Careers event will be attended by local and national employers from a range of skill sectors including engineering, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, IT, business, professional and many more.
There will be a range of interactive activities for those attending the Skills Festival to try out to give a flavour of the various careers on offer.
Twelve months ago, the Council launched The Job Box to pull together a range of education, training and employment support and its services have guided many local people into employment and new life phases
The Council has invested £1.3m in a two year programme which is working to reducing high youth unemployment levels in the borough.
As a result of the measures taken by the Council as a part of the Job Box, youth unemployment in Telford and Wrekin has fallen by about 50 per cent in the last year.
Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Employment and Skills, said: “It is disappointing that the number of people claiming JSA in Telford and Wrekin has increased but it is to be expected in January, as many people will have taken on temporary positions over the Christmas period and will now be seeking more permanent roles.
“The jobs fair next month, will have permanent opportunities available and I would encourage anyone looking for these to come along and meet the employers.
“We know that many of the people who have used the Job Box services have come back for further help and advice, showing that they value the service they have previously received.
“We will continue to support everyone who comes to the Job Box, through whichever service, until they find long term sustained employment.
“We are continuing to push to meet with the Employment Minister to discuss how Telford & Wrekin Council is tackling youth unemployment.
“We have proved that we are delivering on reducing rates of unemployment and helping local people into work and we want the Government to recognise our commitment.
“We are not asking for special treatment but merely to match fund or pay us by results, this is what they do with profit making companies, why not to with council.
“We have a track record on reducing youth unemployment; we want the Government to trust us with tackling long term unemployment in the borough and pay us for the results of this.”
The Partnership for Jobs fair will be open 11am–7pm on Wednesday 18 March 2015 at The International Centre.
The Partnership for Careers Skills Festival will be open from 10am–7pm on Thursday 19 March, also at the TIC.
More information on both events and details on how to pre-register to beat the queues (and be in with a chance of winning a prize!) are here: http://www.telfordjobbox.co.uk/
For the latest news from The Job Box, make sure to like the Job Box on Facebook and follow the Job Box on Twitter.
