HUNDREDS of people turned out for what was the biggest Bromsgrove Jobs Fair the town had ever seen.
A total of 45 employers offering hundreds of vacancies showcased their businesses, from local employers including LG Harris (Harris Brush), Barrie Beard, Jaguar Land Rover and the Bromsgrove Standard to national companies, including Aldi, National Express and Primark.
There were also roles on offer from the army, the RAF, West Midlands Ambulance Service and West Mercia Police.
The event took place at the new Parkside Hub, where there were also a CV clinic in the town’s new library, which is also on the same site.
Ben Lawton, a trooper for the Royal Yeomanry, said: “At the moment we are recruiting for the reserves and, speaking to people, they did not know what that was all about.
“At our stall they found out and we have spoken to a lot of people who are thinking about a career in the armed forces.”
Anthony Bell, from National Express,said the company was looking to recruit in a number of roles – from customer services to fitters and body makers.
“People, when they hear ‘National Express’ just think about bus driver vacancies.
“We do have those, but we have also got a lot more besides and people have been quite surprised by the variety of roles we do have on offer.
“Today gave us a great opportunity to show that.”
The first Bromsgrove Jobs Fair to be organised by MP Sajid Javid, who is also the Secretary of State for Business, Industry and Skills, took place last year and was hailed a success but this one was even bigger, attracting more employers and residents.
He said: “What struck me was the wide range of employers and people who came along.
“There were residents of all ages – from those who were looking for a job to those who wanted a career change so they could try something different.
“Last year, we found out exactly how successful it had been weeks later when we spoke to the people who had found and got jobs because of the event and I think this year will be the same.
“We want to make this an annual event and we want as much feedback as we can get.
“Every year you learn a bit more and about how we can improve it for the next year so it is right for the Bromsgrove people.
“Credit also has to go to the Bromsgrove Standard for the way the event was publicised and advertised to let people know it was happening.”
* What did you think of the jobs fair? E-mail [email protected] to let him know.
