Record turnout for Wirral jobs fair
A record number of jobseekers attended Wirral’s latest jobs fair, held on Friday 22 May.
Birkenhead Market’s outdoor space was transformed into a vibrant jobs market as more than 1,200 residents took the opportunity to meet around 30 employers and training providers from across Wirral and the Liverpool City Region.
It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout at the jobs fair. With a diverse range of employers offering more than 275 vacancies, it’s no surprise this was our busiest event yet.
While many services have moved online, events like this show the continued importance of face-to-face opportunities, helping to break down barriers and bring local people and employers together.
The event is the latest in a series of jobs fairs delivered by Wirral Council in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority through its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation.
Previous events have focused on young people, seasonal roles, Early Years, and Health and Social Care vacancies.
It was wonderful to see so many people engaging directly with employers and exploring new opportunities. Events like this play an important role in supporting people into work, particularly those who benefit from something extra to online recruitment channels.
The strong turnout and positive feedback from both jobseekers and employers shows just how valuable these in-person events are in helping people take their next step into employment or training.
Although it will take some time for the final figures to be confirmed, early indications from the sample exit interviews suggest that 8 per cent of attendees were offered a job on the day or already have a follow-up interview arranged.
This is a fantastic result and a clear sign that events like this really do work. Seeing such a strong turnout, alongside early indications that people are already securing interviews and even job offers on the day, shows just how valuable it is to bring employers and jobseekers together.
We’re hopeful that in the weeks ahead many more people who attended will go on to secure interviews and jobs as a direct result of the connections made here. Supporting residents into work and helping businesses find the talent they need is a key priority for the Liverpool City Region, and this event is a great example of that in action.
I’d encourage any employers who are looking to recruit to get involved in future events – they are a proven way to connect with local talent and grow your workforce.
Feedback from jobseekers highlighted the wide range of opportunities available, as well as the welcoming and supportive atmosphere. A post-event survey found that:
- The event was rated 4.1 out of 5
- 70% of attendees had not attended a jobs fair before
- 83% said they would attend a future event
Employers and training providers also gave overwhelmingly positive feedback, with an average score of 5 out of 5.
Packaging specialist Amcor said:
We were overwhelmed with the interest we got from this job fair, it was great getting information about our company out to the local community and have already received several applications. This was a great event for employers and hopefully will lead us to some new employees.
Shipbuilder and Maritime Industry specialist, Cammell Laird, said:
It was a fantastic event that provided valuable encouragement for individuals, highlighting the range of opportunities available to them. We were delighted to be involved and proud to support our local community.
Housebuilder Vistry described the event as:
Extremely engaging, well organised and with people who were actually looking for meaningful employment. With plenty of conversations I would highly recommend this event to employers and people looking for a job.
Leonardo Hotel added:
The event was very well organised, and the location really helped attract a large number of local attendees, creating a busy, productive, and engaging atmosphere. It was great to meet so many enthusiastic students and job seekers interested in future career opportunities.
Employers and training providers who are interested in attending the next jobs fair should get in touch with Wirral Council by emailing economicgrowthservice@wirral.gov.uk.
