Today, working in partnership with our local Job Centre Plus, I held my first virtual Jobs Fair showcasing local immediate jobs with Network Rail, British Transport Police, and UPS.
Earlier in February, we had been able to host a physical Jobs & Apprenticeships fair in the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch in which over twenty employers from a variety of sectors were able to speak directly with local residents about job opportunities and I was pleased that interviews and positions were secured following the event. Unfortunately, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has prevented us from hosting a physical event however I was very glad to be able to join local residents with three significant employers all with immediate vacancies.
In the first session, Eric, from Network Rail, spoke with participants about their efforts to recruit 58 new signallers and mobile operations managers along the Anglia route. Eric was able to outline the varied responsibilities within these roles that keep the job interesting. Given that a number of participants did not have backgrounds within the rail industry, Eric emphasised that a number of skills gathered in other roles would be easily transferable to the rail industry and highlighted the opportunity for learning and career progression once within Network Rail. For further information on the roles available within Network Rail, please visit: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/
In our second session, Amar from the British Transport Police’s HR Team and Michelle, a serving uniformed officer, gave a presentation on what it is like to work for the British Transport Police in both uniformed and non-uniformed roles. They were also able to outline what the recruitment process would look like, particularly for those seeking to apply for Police Constable of Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) roles. The deadline to apply for Police Constable roles in London is today, however there will soon be a recruitment drive for PCSO roles. Anyone interested in the upcoming PCSO recruitment or wishes to register their interest in future Police Constable recruitment, can do so by emailing part-recruitment@btp.pnn.police.uk. Further information on roles available with the British Transport Police can be found at: https://www.btp.police.uk/careers_at_btp/careers_and_volunteering.aspx
Finally, Natalie from UPS’ talked through some of the roles available for immediate recruitment in the UPS-warehouse in Stanford le Hope as well as their delivery assistant, or ‘drivers mates’ roles. With both day and night shifts available at the Stanford le Hope warehouse, UPS hope that applicants can find hours that suit their lifestyle. Alongside the warehouse roles, which are on a permanent basis, UPS are also seeking drivers mates to assist delivery drivers on a temporary basis until the end of the festive period, though there may be potential to continue into permanent roles beyond this. For more information on these roles, visit: https://www.jobs-ups.com/
I am very thankful for the time taken by Eric, Amar, Michelle, and Natalie to highlight the immediate and local opportunities within Network Rail, British Transport Police, and UPS. I am also very thankful for the team at the Job Centre who help secure employers for these events and notify their clients of these opportunities. One of the most awful impacts of the coronavirus pandemic has seen people facing job insecurity, so these types of events are incredibly helpful in bringing those seeking alternative or exciting jobs with opportunities that are currently available. We shall be hosting further events in due course which will be publicised on my website, social media and notified to the local press. Thank you to those people who joined in and I wish them luck with their efforts in seeking work.