Building the future: Jobs and Apprenticeships fair

Published Feb. 18 2021 10:56 AM

Job seekers and employers were brought together for a virtual jobs and apprenticeships fair this week, helping local residents in Southwark to access employment opportunities and apprenticeships currently available across London.

The event, hosted by Southwark College and the Department of Work and Pensions, was part of National Apprenticeship Week, an annual celebration of the work by employers and apprentices in the UK.

Visitors heard from a range of sectors, with employers such as Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Southwark Council, Costain, London South Bank University, UK Power and Anjuna Beats on-hand to advise job seekers on how to access the latest vacancies and get into apprenticeships and sector-based work academies.

Annette Cast, Principal at Southwark College, said: “Adjusting to life since Covid-19 has been difficult for everyone, but it has been particularly challenging for people looking for work. Many are struggling, so it was wonderful to be able to host our Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair virtually and bring together job seekers with businesses that are looking to grow their workforce.

"Working collaboratively with the Department for Work and Pensions and employers from across the borough meant that local residents could hear from a wide range of sectors about apprenticeship and job vacancies and really get the advice they need to get ahead in their chosen career. We were delighted to have so many people from the Southwark community join us and can’t wait to host the next one.”

With over 100 job seekers attending, they also received advice on searching for job and apprenticeship vacancies, CV writing, application forms and interview skills.

Josephine Sheehan, Recruitment Specialist at the Department for Work and Pensions, said: “The response to events like the Jobs and Apprenticeship Fair has been great. It was fantastic to see how many employers have gone above and beyond to support job seekers; their advice is invaluable and will help so many people get back into work or training.”

Attendees could also participate in a live stream Q&A as part of National Apprenticeship Week’s #AskAnEmployer event, putting their questions to the employers about how they could get into sectors such as Healthcare, Creative Arts and Digital.