A September job fair held in Hornchurch’s Queen’s Theatre by local MP, Julia Lopez, has already seen residents moving into work, training or volunteering.
The fair – the 11th organised by Mrs Lopez – drew nearly 300 attendees and has already delivered strong outcomes for jobseekers. Employers and training providers have confirmed significant progress for local people, including:
- Healthcare opportunities: 120 candidates are progressing with BHRUT Hospital for Band 3 Healthcare Assistant roles, while more than 50 people have begun early careers and volunteering discussions with BHRUT Volunteering.
- Childcare and education: 35 job enquiry forms were issued by Playdays & Scallywags nurseries; 30 candidates invited to telephone interviews with The Wendy House Day Nursery; 3 people put forward for teaching roles with Havering Adult College; and 6 applicants progressed to second interviews with Complete Classroom Services.
- Training and skills programmes: 19 attendees registered for bootcamps with Generation; 13 signed up to Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes with South Essex College.
- Volunteering pathways: 19 new leads taken forward by St Francis Hospice; 16 registrations with Havering Volunteer Centre.
- Other employer engagement: 11 interview invitations with Anglian Windows, 7 applications advancing with CPV, plus signposting to roles and training with Elizabeth Line, Balfour Beatty, and STC.
Reflecting on the results, Julia Lopez MP said:
"The best bit about our Jobs Fairs is seeing the real chances people get given after meeting someone on a stand. Life can change from those encounters and if our fairs are creating those moments for residents – where a whole new avenue of opportunity is opened to someone – then we have done our job."
Organisers described this year’s fair as one of the busiest yet, with hundreds of residents connecting directly with employers, colleges, and voluntary organisations.
