Jobs fair to get 1,500 working

131,000 unemployed in West Midlands – SPR aims to reduce this number

Thirty-five firms with job vacancies are joining forces with Government to help get at least 1,500 of the West Midlands’ 131,000 unemployed people back into work.

From 10am to 2pm tomorrow (Wed Aug 6^th) Birmingham- and Walsall-based Starting Point Recruitment (SPR), Netcom Training and the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) are jointly staging a jobs fair at Millennium Point, Birmingham.

Up to 1,500 job seekers are expected to attend. On offer will be roles in warehouse work, admin, security, IT, care, retail, education and more.

Army, BHX, Balfour Beatty, Mitie among employers hiring

Among the attending employers with job vacancies to fill are the Army, HMRC, Balfour Beatty (construction), Kier (construction), Birmingham Airport (aviation), Embark (care), Maximus (customer service), AM2PM (warehouse), Dawn Bright Home Care (care), Mite (facility management), NIS (construction), TLG Managing Security (security), Teacher Active (education), Educators & Beauty (health and beauty) and many more.

Professor Paul Cadman, chief executive of SPR, said: “The West Midlands has the two key components required for economic success: great companies and brilliant, talented people. We are working with Government to bring these two powerful ingredients together, and to give hope and purpose to many of the 131,000 West Midlanders who are currently out of work.

‘We look at the person, not just the CV’

“At SPR we look at each individual person and their potential, rather than making snap decisions based only on the qualifications and experience on their CV. So, if you’re looking for a new opportunity, come and see us.”

Hannah Keeler, Birmingham Districts Senior Employer and Partnership Manager from the DWP, said: “We are looking forward to a supportive day for individuals looking for their next step forward into employment, with great employers ready to talk to passionate and enthusiastic job seekers. Always great to work in collaboration with our partners supporting candidates through the Restart Scheme.”

Between April and July this year, there were an estimated 727,000 job vacancies in the UK and 1.67m working-age people unemployed, 131,000 of whom are in the West Midlands, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Jobs fair – 10am to 2pm Wednesday August 6 at Millennium Point

The jobs fair, running between 10am and 2pm on Wednesday August 6, is targeted towards all SPR’s “participants” on the government’s Restart Scheme, as well as anyone out of work in the local area looking for a job.

Between 9am and 10am on the day will be a dedicated ‘quiet hour’ aiming to offer a calm environment for anyone with high anxiety, neurodiversity needs and Restart “candidates.”

Attending the event on August 6 will be Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal MBE, and Talksport radio presenter Tom Ross.

SPR – www.startingpointrecruitment.co.uk/ – places between 80 and 120 job-seekers in employment each month.