Member Article

Employment fair offers hope to Merseyside jobseekers

Merseyside companies are actively looking for new recruits for their businesses. That’s the message to come from a jobs fair held in Liverpool, which was aimed at long-term unemployed people throughout the North West.

Organised by employment and skills specialists Ingeus at their offices in Derby Square, the event was attended by almost two-dozen businesses in a wide variety of sectors, including retailers, security providers and service companies. Ingeus provides support to employers looking to fill their vacancies and to jobseekers who have been referred to the government’s Work Programme for specialist help.

“We met some very motivated people who were ready for employment and really wanted to work,” said Sally Allcock, who is a manager for City Facilities, the company contracted to clean ASDA’s stores to professional standards. “We have job vacancies throughout Merseyside and so we’re hopeful of several success stories as a result of the fair. Each potential new recruit is now being assessed further and I’m confident that many will get a job.”

Likewise, Paul Owen, who is an employment operations manager for security and business services specialists VSG, was able to provide real hope to jobseekers. “We made offers to several people and, subject to our usual processes, will confirm their employment in the days ahead. We were particularly impressed with the quality of those we interviewed and, as a business, we strive to reach out to those who face employment challenges. Working with Ingeus is an ideal way of finding people who want to work and give their best.”

One of those likely to be rewarded with a job is Jasmine Wahid, 30, from Garston. Jasmine has several years’ experience in security and, for the past two years, has been applying for jobs in the hope of returning to the industry. “Being unemployed has been extremely difficult and it has taken its toll on my confidence and self-belief,” she said. “I attended the jobs fair not daring to hope that anything would come of it but I’ve got a provisional offer from VSG. I chatted informally to them and, I hope, left them with a positive impression of what I can do. I’m genuinely excited at the prospect of being employed once again in a job I know I will enjoy.”

Ingeus employer partnership coordinator Gary Edmund Charles added, “The day was a great success, and we were proud that so many great employers chose to support us,” he said. “However, what was equally important was that around 200 jobseekers were given real hope of employment. They earned this by showing real commitment and preparing themselves properly for the event, and we look forward to hearing of their good news in the days to come.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ingeus .