YOUNG people seeking employment and training in the Vale have the opportunity to meet leading employers in Worcestershire at a jobs fair at Pershore College next week.
The event, which is free to attend and takes place at the college on Friday, June 26 from 12 pm to 4pm will provide a vital platform for young people in the region to connect face-to-face with businesses at a critical time for the Worcestershire economy, organisers said.
The fair follows the college’s annual Worcestershire Employers and Stakeholders Conference, which is being held earlier that morning and organised in partnership with Nigel Huddleston, MP for Droitwich and Evesham, and Dame Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire.
It will specifically focus on the technical and creative skills that will define the Worcestershire economy over the next five years.
Sara-Jane Watkins, CEO and principal of WCG, said: “We are incredibly proud to be hosting this event at Pershore College, which serves as a vital bridge between education and the local economy.
“Our mission is to ensure our students have a clear line of sight to a rewarding career in the sectors Worcestershire needs most.
“Whether it is through our growing construction academy, our specialised health and social care programmes, or our creative pathways in digital art and design, we are training the next generation for the specific roles our local economy is crying out for.
“By bringing employers and young people together face-to-face, we are removing barriers and helping our community thrive.
A wide range of businesses attending the conference will use the event to showcase their apprenticeships, training programmes, and immediate job vacancies to school and college leavers and their parents.
The event aims to bridge the gap between education and industry in high-demand sectors such as construction, health and social care, and the service industries, some of which are facing critical ‘replacement demand’ as an ageing workforce retires.
Sara-Jane Watkins and Nigel Huddlestone MP. s
Nigel Huddleston, MP for Droitwich and Evesham, added: “It is incredibly important that we make the world of work as accessible as possible for young people.
“Across Worcestershire and beyond, there is a wide range of apprenticeship and employment opportunities, and I hope this event helps connect local young people with the many excellent employers we have here.”
The fair arrives as the Worcestershire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) highlights a significant demand for new talent across the county.
Recent data from the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce shows that over 70 per cent of local firms are struggling to recruit.
Dame Harriett Baldwin MP and Sara-Jane Watkins. s
Dame Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, said: “Local businesses in West Worcestershire are always looking for young people with the right skills, and Pershore College provides some very practical courses which equip young people for the world of work.”
The college aims to highlight the diverse range of regional career paths, including horticulture and animal welfare, construction, digital art & design, health and social care, counselling, and hair, beauty, and barbering.
Visit: pershorejobsfair.eventbrite.co.uk to pre-register attendance which is a requirement.
