Member Article

Bluewater sees record attendance at annual 'Job Fayre'

Bluewater’s on-site recruitment and training facility, The Learning Shop, welcomed a record number of visitors to its annual Jobs Fayre on Friday, September 18

The Kent shopping and leisure centre saw in excess of 5,000 jobseekers attend the event The Upper Hall at Glow.

Opened by MP for Dartford, Gareth Johnson, Mayor of Dartford, Ian Armitt, Bluewater’s Head of Marketing, David Wilkinson, and District Operations Manager for the Department of Work and Pensions, Louise Leighton-McTague, the Bluewater Jobs Fayre showcased more than 2,000 permanent and temporary jobs.

Over 80 of Bluewater’s leading retailers and restaurants participated, with new additions for 2015 including Hackett, Next, Five Guys and Showcase Cinemas. They joined long-term supporters of The Learning Shop, John Lewis, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer, as well as local bus operator, Arriva.

The event also coincided with the release of figures that reveal the number of people receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance in the Borough of Dartford in August was 783, the lowest since records began in January 1996 (source: House of Commons Library). Unemployment in the Borough has also fallen to just 1.4%.

Commenting on the 2015 Jobs Fayre, Gareth Johnson, MP for Dartford, said: “This year’s Jobs Fayre event was a credit to all involved in particular the hard work The Learning Shop and Bluewater do for the people of Dartford and the wider community in helping them find employment and training.

“I am proud to have been invited to support the annual event and to have met some of the prospective employees and also the many retailers involved who are creating these opportunities.”

Robert Goodman, Bluewater’s general manager added: “The 2015 Jobs Fayre was certainly a true success, having gone from strength to strength each year.

“This year we saw the highest retailer engagement and support from many leading UK and international brands for a variety of new management roles and permanent positions compared to previous years. We are proud to be a catalyst in launching successful careers within the retail and restaurant sectors in conjunction with The Learning Shop.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .