Employment, training and good old face-to-face contact were the order of the day at a Grimsby jobs fair – which has been described as "a real eye opener" by those who attended. Chief reporter Sarah Carey caught up with some of the jobseekers and exhibitors to find out more
IT WAS impossible to ignore the feeling of optimism spreading through the exhibitors and job seekers at Grimsby Town Hall.
From the myriad of job opportunities – some in fields that may have been previously unconsidered – to details of training courses aimed at opening up alternative career paths, the sense of purpose was infectious.
The event, which saw more than 2,000 people come through the doors, was organised by JobCentre Plus in conjunction with Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell, North East Lincolnshire Council, and CatZero.
It featured stands from 38 different exhibitors, as well as help and advice from wandering CatZero assistant event managers and JobCentre Plus representatives, who could be found at every turn.
Everywhere you looked, there were people handing over CVs and discussing which posts would be most suited to their skills with the people with the power to take them on.
Speaking at the event Jennifer Vincent, an employment advisor with JobCentre Plus, said: "The turnout has been fantastic.
"There are job training opportunities and a lot of companies have stands, including Balfour Beatty, ABP and firms with connections to the renewable energy market, to show potential employers the right way into a career.
"They can meet face-to-face and be told 'this is where you start, this is the college where you can access training and this is the training course you need to do'.
"There are also exhibitors here to help people get work in the meantime, so they can study for a career part-time, but still have money coming in."
JobCentre Plus' senior operations manager Jo Corney said: "It gives people hope that there are jobs out there and introduces them to different options."
Mr Mitchell, who officially opened the event, said he was "delighted" to have sponsored it – although he said it was a shame such events had to attract private funding to get off the ground.
He said: "It's a great day – anything that is going to bring people and employers and agencies and the Institute together, to see how they can help each other, serves a very useful purpose.
"The problem for unemployed people is that they can get isolated and feel alienated if they don't get work or training and, for young people especially, this can build problems for the future.
"Fairs like this are a way of making the labour market more active and more efficient.
"It's a question of young people building their confidence up, showing off their skills and saying 'I can do that'."
His sentiments were echoed by potential employers, who said they found meeting people face-to-face a great way of letting them know of positions they may be perfect for, but simply didn't realise it.
ABP's assistant personnel manager Nicola Robinson attended the event with her colleague Steve Williams, the firm's operations manager for Grimsby and Immingham.
She said: "Events like this are great for us. It gets people to be aware of the sort of jobs we have available.
"We have done a lot of work in Immingham and it soon became apparent that people don't always realise what sort of roles we do have – and what a wide range of job types we have."
She said as well as roles requiring expertise, such as engineering and mechanical posts, there were jobs for fork lift drivers, crane operators, administration workers, back-room staff, project team members and much more.
Nicola added: "People don't always realise we do all that. All our job vacancies are posted on the careers section of our website, so it's worth checking back regularly."
For Elaine Neale, the head of human resources at Coldwater, the appeal of the jobs fair was all about the human touch.
She said: "Rather than just being 'that big building on Pyewipe' people can see and talk to us – it's not so scary face-to-face.
"We have a variety of jobs people can do and we are collecting peoples' CVs, as there may not be a position they're suited for now, but something may be available in a couple of weeks that they're perfect for."
The team from recruitment agency Stafforce were also keen to let people know they could secure employment in posts varying from white collar workers to factory work.
Business manager Kathryn Bowring said: "We can offer advice and support to local people in getting back into work.
"Events like this are fantastic, as you can put a face to a name and talk to people in person – that way they can see what vacancies we have in a more intimate, friendly and casual setting. It's less intimidating that way."
Her colleague Amelia Bowring added another way of bypassing the intimidating side of job hunting was to register with the agency online.
She said: "That way we can take the applications forward and speak to employers for them.
"People on the street don't necessarily know what jobs are available, what they are suited for and what training they need. "That's where we can help."
Editor's Comment THE Jobs Fair featured in the paper today will hopefully have proved fruitful for those who are actively seeking work within North East Lincolnshire. There is no doubt this continues to be a tough time for those who find themselves looking for employment, be it for the first time or after being in work for a number of years. It is also hoped that while at the event, they were also able to find the right type of help and support, which will assist them in their search for a regular wage and security. You can assume that those who did attend are absolutely interested in finding employment – and do not fall into the camp, which are often accused of being 'work shy' and not even trying to drag themselves off the sofa and off their benefits. And there in lies the problem – when any government tries to help those who are genuinely in need, how on earth can they weed out those who simply take, take, take? So you either do all or nothing, trouble is which one should it be? Those who are currently protesting against the Bedroom Tax would certainly believe it is 'too little' at present! Follow the editor on Twitter @michellelalor
