Latest News

A careers event in Rotherham hosted by Morrison, part of Mears Group, has led to employment for 27 local people.The Local Employment Advisory Forum (LEAF) event, at the Magna Science Adventure Centre, brought together 75 local businesses and organisations to showcase employment and training opportunities in the area.Over 850 students and jobseekers attended and, since the event, a local Employment Advisor for the Department for Work and Pensions has said that 27 of their customers had started work with companies who exhibited.The all-day event, officially opened by the Mayor of Rotherham Maggi Clark, was organised in partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Job Centre Plus and the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, and supported by the Skills Funding Agency and their ‘Your Future’ programme of nationwide careers fairs, which gives 70,000 young people access to employers and careers advice.The morning session was dedicated to Y9-Y11 students from local schools, while the afternoon focused on jobseekers, especially older students and the general public looking for opportunities to upskill.Jackie Frost, from Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, said, “We were absolutely delighted to receive the interest of over 400 students from Rotherham schools and colleges. This year, we offered students the opportunity to attend employability workshops, which were delivered by Hatfield Clark, Human Recruit and Keep Your Fork. The workshops were oversubscribed and students have since fed back that they now feel more informed about their choices and better prepared for future employment opportunities.”A school representative said, “Our students found the LEAF event valuable and particularly helpful in deciding what they want do on after school. The 'Employer Expectation' talk focused on the level of preparation, planning and maturity required in the job market, reinforcing the message that we continuously give in school but it helped for them to hear it from an independent source.”Dominic Beck, Corporate Affairs Manager, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, said, “We are delighted that the ‘Your Future’ careers programme could be part of the LEAF careers fair. Supporting our future workforce is a responsibility that all businesses have, and we are happy to be involved.”Diane Keay, Customer and Community Manager at Morrison, said, “We are pleased to once again host the LEAF event along with our partners in Rotherham. Morrison has always supported local employment initiatives, and this event helped provide a forum for local people to find out more about improving their skills and helping them succeed in their training and employment goals.”