British Steel’s Scunthorpe site was packed with more than 1,000 jobseekers of all ages as it hosted the North Lincolnshire Jobs Fair.
Yesterday we hosted 19 companies for the event, organised in conjunction with North Lincolnshire Council and Jobcentre Plus.
Employers offered leaflets and guidance about the roles they have and advice about how to apply for vacancies, with some encouraging job-seekers to apply online and others allowing in-person applications.
Bill Ridgefield, Training Specialist at BAE systems, said: "I’ve been to a number of jobs fairs, and to be honest this is the busiest one I’ve ever seen."
College leaver Zeshaan Imran, 19, echoed Bill’s sentiments and was impressed by the scope of the opportunities available.
He said: “It’s a really good turnout, there’s loads of people here and hopefully a lot of people walking away with a job.
"I’ve got a few mates who’ve got apprenticeships with British Steel and I’ve heard good things about them. They’re a big company with a lot of opportunities to progress and I’d like to get in here if I can."
In addition to offering various apprenticeship roles and degree-level apprenticeships, as well as summer work scheme placements, we unveiled 25 brand new manufacturing traineeship placements.
Lucy Lings, British Steel’s Resourcing Advisor, helped stage the event and said: "We were amazed by the turnout and we hope that people found it useful and that it helps people get into new jobs and careers.
"I’d like to thank all of the employers who attended today, as well as Jobcentre Plus and North Lincolnshire Council.
"We have some unique and exciting new positions available, and this was a great opportunity to showcase exactly what we’re about."
Jobcentre Plus provided assistance on getting into work and gave tips on crafting the perfect CV.
Vicky Gurdlestone, Work Coach at Jobcentre Plus, said: “We’ve been very busy and had a lot of different questions from all ages.
"It’s absolutely great for the local area; we want to help get as many people into work as possible. I think it’s helped that it’s been held by British Steel as it’s the most popular and well-known company in Scunthorpe."
The companies attending the event included a range of prominent employers such as the NHS, McDonalds, Cat-Tech and Staffline.
Jason Blow, 44, said: "I’ve been out of work since December, and I’m looking to get into warehousing or factory work. After I saw the list of companies I wanted to turn up to see what’s available.
"There’s a lot of employers here so hopefully I can get some feedback on my CV too."
The event was officially opened by North Lincolnshire’s Mayor Councillor Trevor Foster.
Cllr Rob Waltham, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: "The overwhelming support from local and national businesses at the jobs fair was really encouraging to see and goes to show that North Lincolnshire is open for business with jobs available.
"We received some really positive feedback from jobseekers too; many of whom were enthused about their future prospects after coming along."
For more information on job opportunities at British Steel, visit http://britishsteel.co.uk/join-our-team/.