Thousands of jobs in the West Midlands available at this recruitment fair at Villa Park

Fifty employers looking to hire more staff from across the West Midlands are attending the Birmingham Jobs Fair.

The one day event at Villa Park on November 2 from 10.30am to 5pm will give job hunters to meet employers face-to-face to make the best career move for them.

There will also be interview opportunities and people may be offered jobs on the day.

The West Midlands was hit hard by the pandemic and organisers hope that the event will boost the employment figures for the region.

There will also be a series of job-seeking support measures, including CV writing and Mental Health advice.

Everyone is welcome at Birmingham Jobs Fair, whether they are working now and looking for a change, or haven’t worked for a while, or, even if you’ve never held down a job.

There will be a dedicated youth zone for young people aged 16-29, which will include interactive play table games and entertainment from a DJ and social influencer.

Employers that have signed up to attend include:

Birmingham Airport,

Commonwealth Games

Greggs,

HSBC,

West Midlands Care Association and

West Midlands Police

Industries include:

Construction,

Health,

Hospitality,

Retail,

Logistics

Why is the Birmingham Jobs Fair so important?

In February 2020, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, 6.3% of young people aged 18 to 24 in Birmingham and 6.1% in the West Midlands were unemployed.

By March 2021, this had risen to 11.6% in Birmingham and 11.5% in the West Midlands, an increase of over 5%. When we remove economically inactive young people who are not currently seeking employment, such as students, youth unemployment in the city rose to approximately 20% as of April 2021.

Who has organised the Birmingham Jobs Fair?

The Birmingham Jobs Fair has been developed alongside West Midlands Combined Authority, Job Centre Plus and Aston Villa Foundation.

Cllr Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “We’re successfully attracting record levels of investment to provide jobs and opportunities and it’s vitally important that people in neighbourhoods right across the city have a stake in our economic growth.

“The public, private, voluntary sectors across Birmingham and the wider region are working together to improve training and skills and to link people with those opportunities.

“The Birmingham Jobs Fair is a fantastic opportunity for people to have interviews and job offers on the day and I’m particularly pleased that there is a dedicated Youth Zone at this event, because as we highlighted in our Breaking Down Barriers report, young people in particular have been hit hard by the pandemic.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We know it is mission critical that we help people move back into work following the pandemic, which is why I have set out my incredibly ambitious 100,000 jobs plan.

“The West Midlands may have been badly hit by Covid-19, but there are still many jobs and opportunities out there – particularly in Birmingham – and we really want people to take advantage of them.

“That’s why this jobs fair, where we will have around 50 employers who are all actively recruiting, is a brilliant opportunity for those who are out of work or worried about their future to see what options are out there for them. With some employers offering interviews on the day, it could be that you end up leaving with a job offer!”

Pete Ezard, partnerships manager at Aston Villa Foundation, said: “Supporting local communities with education, skills and employment are key strategic objectives for the Foundation. The Jobs Fair gives us a great opportunity to work alongside Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Combined Authority, the Department of Work and Pensions, and employers from across the city to connect with residents looking for work and fast track recruitment.”

Birmingham Jobs Fair is on 2 November at Villa Park from 10.30am to 5pm.

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