YOUNG people looking for employment in 2015 are being invited to one of the largest jobs fairs in the borough.

Working with partners Blackburn College and the Via Partnership, Blackburn with Darwen Council has organised the huge event to bring employers with vacancies and unemployed young job seekers together in one place.

MORE TOP STORIES:

It comes on the back of a Your Call initiative, Your Agenda, where young people raised the issue of a lack of opportunities for them to speak to businesses.

Called My First Job, it is being held at Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre, sports hall, Feilden Street on Thursday, March 5 between 2pm and 7pm.

It will also give employers and training providers the opportunity to promote ‘live’ and upcoming job vacancies, apprenticeships and work experience placements. There will also be advice on setting up in business and becoming self-employed and a young entrepreneur.

The event will feature more than 30 employers looking to recruit.

These include local big players from the Hive Business Leaders’ Network including Forbes Solicitors, WEC group and Euro Garages along with national employers such as United Utilities and BT.

There will be a wide variety of jobs on offer across different sectors including finance, legal and HR, IT and communication, manufacturing and automotive, business and consumer services, retail, food and drink and construction and engineering.

Young people aged 15 to 24 including school leavers, college/sixth form leavers and students, graduates and young people ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEETs), and their parents are being invited to attend the jobs fair.

Cllr Kate Hollern, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “One of my top priorities is to help young people into employment. These are real companies with real jobs or opportunities. They are all either recruiting right now or very shortly so turn up prepared, with your CV and sell your skills. The jobs fair is about bringing employers and young people together in one room so they can be matched with each other.

“Young people tell me they can’t find jobs and businesses say they can’t the right employees. We have lots of hugely successful businesses in the borough who are expanding and taking on staff. We also have an abundance of local talent so this is a great opportunity for everyone to do business.”