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Crowds flock to Reading Jobs Fair

By Mike Pyle
September 16, 2011

More than a thousand people tried to get on the job at a fair arranged by one of the local MPs.

Reading Job Fair, organised by Reading East MP Rob Wilson and Reading UK CIC, drew in crowds to pentahotel in Oxford Road yesterday and gave job hunters the chance to explore the opportunities open to them and even hand their CVs in to companies recruiting in the area.

Among those was Tesco, which is bringing 1,000 jobs to a site near Madejski Stadium, and food distributor Brakes, which is opening a warehouse in Suttons Business Park in East Reading and creating 500 jobs.

Both organisations also held workshops at the event to tell people about the available jobs and how they can get them.

Sophie Akokhia, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: “We’ve got 1,000 positions available which will add £34,000,000 to the local economy in wages alone – not to mention several million in the construction process.

“We had a full house for our presentation and hundreds of people coming through – the interest has been overwhelming and we’ve got a box full of applications and CVs.”

Brakes’ operations and implementations manager Martin Ward said: “It’s been very good. We’re pleasantly surprised by the number of people we’ve spoken to here.

“We’re recruiting for the warehouse, admin roles and drivers. There’s six of us here from different sectors of the organisation and we’ve all been kept busy.”

Other organisations at the fair included the Army, McDonald’s, Thames Valley Police, John Lewis and the Broad Street Mall, which was promoting the 200 vacancies it has at the moment.

Mall manager Steve Fawke said: “It’s amazing – I can’t get over how many people there are here and how well it’s organised – although that’s not so much of a surprise given who’s organised it.

“It shows just how many people are out there looking for work or at least looking for a change.”

Job seeker David Willis, 46, from Woodley, said: “It’s great that something like this has been organised. Like so many people, I got made redundant last year. It’s been 15 years since I was last job hunting and a lot has changed.

“In my day you went around to employers, gave them your CV and asked them what jobs they’ve got. Now it’s all done on the internet and it can be quite difficult to know you’re doing the right thing because often you don’t even hear anything.

“This is like it was in the old days – straightforward.”

Mr Wilson wasn’t available at the time of going to press but Michelle Southby from his office said: “It’s going really well. We had 800 people through the doors in the first hour.

“There’s access to a lot of employers and the exhibitors are picking up a large number of CVs.

“The first presentations from Tesco and Brakes were so full some people had to be turned away to the afternoon sessions.”

Most people at the event enjoyed the opportunity to find out about job opportunities although one man did have to be escorted out for ‘unruly’ behaviour.

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Most recent user comments 14 of 14

I have to agree with Gregory Beetle - a family member graduated with an upper second and worked in a 'Temporary/Christmas' role for two years whilst they looked for a 'permanent' job. Six hundred applications later, they now have that job - albeit not in thier desired field, but they are on thier way.

Tenacity, drive, a little experience and the understanding that the job they do at the start of their working lives, is only a stepping stone to a better career.

If you want to work in Investment Banking and/or hedge funding, then with respect, a provincial job fair probably ins't the place to look and you'll have to do the leg work i.e. visiting the websites and/or phoning up the likes of KPMG, the stock exchange or even attending job fairs in London, yourself.

Ding-Dong has the right idea about temp jobs - its no good being passive about looking for work, it won't come to you, you need to actively personally chase it up (my distain for 'Agencies' knows no bounds) as i believe this shows real passion for work, which is what good employers want.

I can only speak for my organisation, which I know had permanent jobs on offer. The comment was made that they had been impressed by the attendees and will be taking those discussions further.

voiceoftreason?
19/09/2011 at 10:03

A temporary job is better than no job, and most that I have had I rather enjoyed - Christmas postman, summer job in tourism, Channel Five retuner, shopworker, barman etc.

People who think that because they are a "professional" and have a degree or other qualification that they shouldn't go for a temporary position should think again. Obviously, it's no substitute for regular employment in a specialist field, but it can broaden one's horizons and be a lot more satisfying than being stuck at home being bored and broke.

Gregory Beetle, Caversham Garden City
19/09/2011 at 08:51

Im not sure I often agree with C8H10N4O2, but on this occasion it's obvious he/she has been there. Short term jobs are destructive to the self image of hard working people. For a short while they fill a gap - but often not financially - while all the time they know colleagues can plan holidays, celebrations, while they manage their debt, and only have more form filling to face as they return to an underclass.

Not sure why I bother
19/09/2011 at 07:15

The benifit rules must have radicaly changed then because at one time when you did a tempory job or some days work you just reported it in to job centre at no time was you signed off completly.Yes benifit stopped for each day worked but benifit resumed when you did not work.So anyone with benifit issues must be signing off completly in which case you will have to re-apply.I think to be honest too many hide behind benifit myths and police records preventing them from working.Truth of the matter is if there was no benifit back up the majority of the young unemployed with families would not be so fussy about the jobs they apply for.When you really are poor and hard up you take any job.Smoking/ Gadgets/cars/ect:go out the window.Paying for a roof over your head yourself and food in your families belly comes first. I know been there done that and worn the T- shirt.

bahumbug, Reading
17/09/2011 at 11:55

I attended: I found it a complete waste of time - it doesn't cater for those that want a quality job: it doesn't cater for graduates: it doesn't cater for accountants, or people wanting investment banking, or hedge fund roles. You go there, thinking that you want a job where you could learn to be something or someone, but that is not the case.

You need to be stimulated in employment, not doing day to day mundane same old same old.

Wint.kyd, Reading
16/09/2011 at 18:38

@Dong : Again, agree, but fear you HAVE missed the point.

C8H10N4O2
16/09/2011 at 17:02

Caffeine,

If I was in that position, namely unemployed, then if offered a temporary/seasonal job then I'd take it but still be looking for something permanent in my spare time. I can think of nothing more boring than sitting at home all day long 24/7.

Dong-Ding, 3rd world slum
16/09/2011 at 15:23

Agree with you Dong, but only "on the face of it".

If you're law-abiding, the frustration of several sets of form filling, and consequent gaps in family income following temporary positions ending when you must re-apply for Benefits, do not provide for any sense of stability or reduction of stress.

I still applaud jobs fairs, but it is permanent positions that are wanted by those willing (I say again, willing) to work.

There really is no inducement to take short term/Christmas jobs, and not see them as a "bonus" income (such as, providing the kids with a real Christmas) over simply remaining on Benefit.

I'm not advocating such behaviour, but unless you've been there, you won't understand, I fear.

C8H10N4O2
16/09/2011 at 15:07

Right to Reply,

It's better than no jobs at all, and quite frankly I'd have thought that having a job is better than sitting on your arse all day long if you were unemployed.

Dong-Ding, 3rd world slum
16/09/2011 at 14:13

yeah it was fine if you want to work in retail or the forces....other than that a waste of time. Most jobs were part time and for Christmas period!

Right to reply, Reading
16/09/2011 at 13:46

@ NotJohn - and does that/should that make him any less employable?? Does he and many others like him, deserve less of a chance of getting a job because of that?? There were all sorts of organisations there on the day and all kinds of people looking for jobs. Some applicants will need more help than others and, indeed, some actually prefer the face-to-face contact this brings - employers and potential employees both.

voiceoftreason?
16/09/2011 at 10:40

NotJohn, I'm fairly sure GetReading reported these job fairs as Rob Wilson's baby...?

Fred Bloggs
16/09/2011 at 10:37

Rob Wilson try to claim credit again, and there is not even an election coming up. This sort of people is good for the people like "Job seeker David Willis, 46, from Woodley" who can't get the hang of dem internets