Hundreds explore new opportunities at Northampton Guildhall Careers Fair

More than 275 people attended the largest collaborative careers fair organised by Northampton Jobcentre, with over 20 employers and training providers showcasing local job, skills and training opportunities.

More than 275 jobseekers and members of the public attended a major Careers Fair at Northampton Guildhall, highlighting the continuing demand for employment and skills opportunities across the county.

The event, delivered jointly by Northampton Jobcentre, West Northamptonshire Council and Tresham College, was the first of its kind organised through this partnership and became the largest collaborative careers fair coordinated by Northampton Jobcentre. More than 20 employers and training providers came together under one roof to offer vacancies, training opportunities and careers advice to local residents.

Organisations attending included the Civil Service, West Northamptonshire Council, Tresham College, Amazon, Yusen Logistics, the Royal Navy, Northamptonshire Police, National Citizen Service (NCS), Acorn Training, EADS, ISS, LM Manufacturing, McDonald's, Avon, Utility Warehouse and CTRG.

The success of the event was reflected in the positive feedback received from partner organisations. Cheryl Needham of Tresham College said: "Thank you for a fabulous event yesterday."

Julie Pritchard of Northamptonshire's DWP Employer and Partnerships Team added: "It was fantastic to see so many employers, training providers and jobseekers coming together under one roof. Events like this demonstrate the real value of partnership working in helping people access opportunities and supporting local businesses to find talent."

The success of the event comes as the latest employment statistics show encouraging progress across the Northampton North area. The number of people aged 50 and over claiming unemployment-related benefits has fallen by 3%, while the overall claimant count has reduced by 4%.

Julie Pritchard said: "These latest figures highlight the fantastic work being delivered by Work Coaches across Northampton North and the positive impact they are having in helping people move into employment.

"One of the best examples of what can be achieved through partnership working was our recent Careers Fair at Northampton Guildhall. Bringing together more than 20 employers and training providers and welcoming over 275 attendees demonstrated the strong appetite for employment, training and skills opportunities across Northamptonshire.

"The event gave employers the opportunity to connect directly with local talent while helping jobseekers explore vacancies, career pathways and support available to help them move into work."

The Department for Work and Pensions is continuing to encourage employers to make use of the free recruitment support available through Northamptonshire's Jobcentres.

"We want to work with local employers to help fill their vacancies," added Julie.

"Our Jobcentres are open to hosting recruitment events tailored to individual business needs, and we regularly organise job fairs that connect employers directly with local talent. We can also organise Sector-based Work Academy Programmes and Skills Bootcamps to help prepare candidates for specific roles, giving employers access to a skilled and motivated workforce while helping jobseekers gain the experience and training they need to succeed."

Jobseekers are encouraged to explore opportunities on the Government's Find a Job service, where there are currently more than 550 vacancies available across Northampton. Employers can also benefit from support provided by a dedicated DWP recruitment team covering Jobcentres throughout Northamptonshire, offering free recruitment services, candidate matching and access to local talent pools.

A UK Government spokesperson said: "While it's welcome that unemployment has fallen slightly, the reality is that too many young people are still locked out of work.

"For too long, governments have paid for failure rather than invested in people's success. We are determined to turn that around by creating real opportunities for young people, reforming education so everyone has a clear path to a good job, and providing the support people need to stay in work and progress in their careers."

The success of the Northampton Guildhall Careers Fair demonstrates the value of partnership working between employers, training providers and local organisations, helping residents access opportunities while supporting businesses to recruit the talent they need. With hundreds of vacancies available and ongoing support from Jobcentres across the county, Northamptonshire continues to create pathways into employment for people of all ages and backgrounds