LARNE will play host to a major Job & Opportunities Fair later this month.
This free event on February 19 has been organised in partnership with the Department for Employment and Learning, Larne Borough Council, LEDCOM and Larne Development Forum, and runs from 2-6pm in Larne Town Hall.
The event is open to all who are unemployed and looking for employment, careers advice and/or training opportunities. Many employers and training organisations will be there to provide advice and guidance on vacancies, training opportunities, careers advice, job search skills, job club taster sessions and seminars.
At the launch of the event, Minister for Employment and Learning Stephen Farry said: “As well as employers, there will also be a range of support organisations exhibiting at the event and offering a multitude of courses, programmes, advice and guidance including my Department’s Careers Service and Employment Service.”
Calling on young people to become involved in the work experience opportunities available through the Department’s Youth Employment Scheme, Mr Farry said: “The Youth Employment Scheme aims to help improve young people’s employment prospects by giving them real work experience.
“There are a wide range of work experience opportunities on offer at Jobcentre online for young unemployed people to avail of that will improve their employability skills and will allow them to compete on a more equal basis with more experienced workers.”
The Youth Employment Scheme is a voluntary programme. Young unemployed people on benefits can undertake two-to-eight week work experience placements towards employability skills with no loss of benefits. Longer six-to-nine-month work experience opportunities provide an opportunity to gain a qualification and young people will receive a benefit top-up of £45 a week.
In addition there is an enhanced employer subsidy payable to employers who are in a position to offer unemployed young people aged 18-24-years old with a job that includes an element of training in priority sectors.