This week see one of my regular Jobs Fairs, which I hope will have been another successful way of helping people find a fulfilling future. Because of the joys of printing deadlines, I am having to write this before the Fair, but you will be reading it afterwards, so apologies if something unexpected happened!
Over the years it has proved very useful doing these Jobs Fairs in partnership with the Job Centre in Ashford. The Department for Work and Pensions, which runs the network of Job Centres, has developed many new ways to encourage people into work for the first time, or to return to work after a break.
The old image of the dole office with queues of people collecting their money is now wildly out of the date. The Full Monty is a great film, but now it is a period drama.
Many of those who need help in getting into work have either physical or mental health problems to overcome. For both groups employers are much more sensitive and expert in providing help to allow people to return to a job and perform it well.
Not only is this essential for the jobseeker, but it is increasingly necessary for employers to find new groups who are capable of work. Many employers around Ashford have told me in recent months that filling vacancies has become difficult. Thankfully the surge in unemployment that many expected after the pandemic did not happen, but large numbers faded away from the workforce and have not come back.
The Jobs Fair is just one way of encouraging these people to dip their toes back in the world of work. I am very grateful to the organisations who turn up with jobs available, and hope they find some good new employees. When it all works, it is a great win-win.