A JOBS fair is to be held in an area of York so local residents can find out about employment opportunities “on their doorstep”.

The event, at Acomb Parish Church Hall, Front Street, on Wednesday November 2, between between 10am and 2pm, follows a highly successful jobs fair last month at the city’s Railway Institute.

Sara Farrar, of York, Selby and Ryedale Jobcentres, said the ‘targeted’ Acomb event was initiated by local councillor Keith Myers.

She said: “There will be about 25 employers and training providers in attendance, from the local area and this is a great opportunity for the residents in and around Acomb to come along and find out about jobs on their doorsteps.”

Cllr Myers said he had organised two or three similar events at Acomb Explore before he became a councillor. Next month’s fair would be in a bigger venue and was being organised by the Jobcentre and City of York Council.

“I felt there was a need to provide opportunities for residents of the Acomb-Westfield area closer to their homes,” he said, adding it was great to see the companies that were due to attend the fair.

Ms Farrar also revealed that a partnership between the Jobcentre and a local school is at the forefront of moves to improve careers help and advice nationally.

She said a Jobcentre Plus Schools Advisor had been supporting Easingwold School to enhance its existing careers provision, being on site at both the GCSE and A-levels results day and delivering talks to pupils.

Yesterday the Jobcentre delivered a presentation to a group of BTEC pupils from Archbishop Holgate’s school in York to help them with looking for work when they complete their courses.

She said the schools engagement is a pathfinder initiative that would be rolled out nationally in order to improve the prospects of young people.

In the York local authority area there were 110 fewer claimants than a year ago, representing a fall of 11 per cent, while 55 fewer people aged 18 to 24 were claiming unemployment benefits, a drop of 22 per cent.

In Selby 15 fewer people were claiming unemployment benefits, though there was a rise of 20 in the 18 to 24 age range. The figures for Ryedale were not available because of changes involving Universal Credit.

Anyone who is currently claiming benefits and thinking about starting a business with the New Enterprise Allowance can get realistic guidance at a webinar on Wednesday, October 26, from12.30pm to 1.30pm. Claimants should go to attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8474133302877354244 to attend the webinar.