Around 300 unemployed jobseekers attended a Birmingham jobs fair staged by Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) in Birmingham.

Employers attending the jobs fair included: Everyday Financial Solutions, TK Maxx, Matalan, Poundland, Signet and Albion Court, and recruitment services including the Employment Access Team and Prime Time. There were also opportunities to apply for jobs at Tesco, and discover more about training and education services including Learndirect.

Leon Edman, PPDG’s community engagement manager, says: “Our customers have seen this event as a golden opportunity to meet employers and possibly secure a job or take important steps towards gaining employment. It has been fantastic to see so many come along and show real enthusiasm while talking to employers confidently about what they can offer a company if they were to be recruited.”

Mike Moran, director of Everyday Financial Solutions, has already employed several PPDG customers and is hoping to recruit at least another 50 for his brokerage in Birmingham.

Moran says: “An event like this is a great opportunity for me to meet a lot of candidates on one day and to invite the best to discuss employment and training opportunities further. It is great to meet them face-to-face in this environment and to be able to tell them more about my business and what it could do for them.”

PPDG works in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and other organisations, to deliver employment and training initiatives including Flexible New Deal, LSC Support contracts, Lone Parent mentoring, and learndirect training programmes.