Jobseekers flock to 'fantastic' fair opened by Boris Johnson (From This Is Local London)

Jobseekers flock to 'fantastic' Enfield Jobs Fair opened by Boris Johnson

2:26pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Where I Live By David Hardiman

Hundreds of jobseekers piled into a Enfield Town hall this morning for a jobs fair launched by the Mayor of London.

The Enfield Jobs Fair – set up by Enfield North MP Nick de Bois with companies from across the borough offering at least 250 positions – was opened at Southbury Leisure Centre at 10am this morning by Boris Johnson.

Around 500 people packed into the centre’s gym as Mr Johnson met with traders and people looking for work, with companies such as BT, Virgin Media and Sainsbury’s attending.

He told the Enfield Independent: “It’s fantastic to see so many people here today and to see the excitement that it has generated.

“Enfield has a massive place in our manufacturing history – there are young people here who are crying out for a chance for an apprenticeship or to start up their own business.”

One of the companies offering apprenticeships to students attending the fair was chemical company Johnson Matthey, who have a metal refinery plant in Jeffreys Road in Brimsdown.

Corporate social responsibility manager Barry Connelly started at the company as an apprentice 46 years ago and said his story could act as an inspiration for youngsters finding employment difficult to find.

He said: “Thousands of enthusiastic young people are crying out for the opportunity to become an apprentice – we must help them realise their ambitions.

“Apprentices are a fantastic asset to invest in – they will play their part in helping to beat the downturn and will insure that the right skill sets are in place for the future.”

Figures released last month showed that the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in the borough had risen again to 3,603 in December, with 10,721 looking for work across the borough.

Mr de Bois said the crowds attending the fair left him with mixed feelings because “it means there’s a lot of people out there looking for work”.

But he added: “Nothing is more important for the people here than having the chance to find a job – as an MP I can’t create jobs but what I can do is bring together those offering work and those needing a job.”

The fair follows a similar event in January last year when around 1,200 people turned out to meet local firms – but today’s fair is set to be a bigger success with early figures suggesting more than 1,650 people had attended.