Almost 1,500 residents attended a massive jobs fair in Burnley this week, where there were as many jobs on offer as there were attendees.
A record 1,460 people passed through the doors at Turf Moor during the three-hour event, which featured more than 40 employers and organisations recruiting across a range of sectors.
The event comes as Burnley continues to experience some of the highest levels of unemployment in Lancashire.
The latest claimant count shows 3,335 people in Burnley claiming unemployment-related benefits, equivalent to 5.4 per cent of the working-age population. That is significantly higher than the Lancashire average of 3.5 per cent and above the England figure of 3.9 per cent.
Young people not in education, employment or training also remain both a nationwide and local concern.
The latest figures show 4.9 per cent of 16 and 17-year-olds in Burnley were classed as NEET, one of the highest rates in Lancashire. Across Lancashire as a whole, the figure stood at 3.7 per cent, compared with 3.4 per cent nationally.
These stark figures give a context to Burnley’s biggest ever jobs fair, which was organised by Burnley MP Oliver Ryan, alongside the Department for Work and Pensions, with sponsorship from Safran Nacelles and support from Burnley Football Club.
Among the employers taking part were Safran, VEKA, Panaz, BCW Engineering, Protec Fire Detection, GXO Logistics and Lupton & Place, alongside organisations like the NHS, Lancashire Police, the Fire and Rescue Service, the civil service and the Army.
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Education and training providers including Burnley College, Lancashire Adult Learning and Connect to Work were also on hand to offer residents advice on qualifications and routes into employment.
Speaking after the event, Mr Ryan said he was "absolutely blown away" by the turnout.
He said: "To have 1,460 people through the doors in just three hours, with 1,500 jobs on offer, is a fantastic result for our towns.
"One of the things I hear time and again from people locally is that they want the chance to get on, earn a decent wage and build a better future for themselves and their families. That's what the jobs fair has been all about."
Organisers said they hope the event will lead to new jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities for hundreds of local people.
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