Skills fair highlights range of local employment opportunities
Employers from a range of sectors active locally, nationally and internationally, as well as organisations linked to local training opportunities, attended an event at Dalry School in September. Organisations attending had a chance to engage with school pupils and young people, as well as adults looking for a change of career direction.
This was the first Glenkens Skills and Jobs Fair to be held, and the event saw 27 representatives of 19 different organisations set up their display stands in the school hall. Sectors represented included renewables, construction, infrastructure, civil engineering, market gardening, forestry, hospitality, home care, childcare and the environment.
Organisations offering employability support were also on hand to offer career and skills guidance, including Skills Development Scotland, DGWorks, Developing the Young Workforce and the Better Lives Partnership. Representatives of the Glenkens and District Education Fund and the Carsphairn Renewable Energy Fund Ltd attended to share details about their education grant scheme, where local people can apply for a grant of up to £1,000 for training fees related to employability.
The organisers were delighted with the turnout on the day; almost 60 attendees aged from school age upwards visited the skills fair. Whilst around a fifth of attendees said that their reason for attending was to plan further study, 35% wanted to find out about career paths in the Glenkens, and 21% of responses were from people looking for apprenticeship or graduate opportunities.
Attendees were positive, with all those who completed the feedback form saying that they were able to find the information that they were looking for at the fair. One attendee commented: "The event was buzzing. I never realised there were so many opportunities in the local area."
Exhibitors also found the event useful, referring to the value both of the interactions with the attendees and the opportunities to network with other employers and organisations active in the area. One commented: "Yesterday's event was a powerful reminder of the impact that community-led initiatives can have to allow local communities and pupils to consider a career within their own localities and to improve employment opportunities.". Another exhibitor fed back after the event that they were confident that they would be able to offer a role to one of the attendees who they had talked to on the day.
There was strong support for future events, perhaps annual, from both attendees and exhibitors. All of the stallholders carried out a brief video interview on the day, and these are now held on the Glenkens Hub website, so if you were unable to attend the skills and jobs fair but would like to find out more about the opportunities available in the area, please visit www.glenkens. scot/local-employers-and-support which contains links to all of the employers’ websites and more information.
The fair was funded using a grant from DGWorks Local Employability Partnership, and was organised by Becca Nelson for the Glenkens Community and Arts Trust working with Dalry Secondary School and the school's Parent Council, and the Glenkens District Trust CAP Steering Group. Many thanks to all those who were involved in making the fair such a success.
Becca Nelson