New Year, New Career: Belfast Jobs Fair Offers Apprenticeship Pathways

North Belfast residents looking to kickstart a new career or take the next step in their professional journey are invited to a special Jobs Fair. This fantastic event, held on Wednesday, January 28th, at 2 Royal Avenue from 10am, offers a direct pathway to exciting apprenticeship opportunities through the JobStart Apprenticeship Pathway programme.

This innovative programme is a collaboration between , the Department for Communities, the Department for the Economy, and the Belfast Labour Market Partnership. It's designed to connect local jobseekers with valuable work experience and apprenticeships with employers right here in the city. The pathway is built on the success of the council's Employment Academy model, which has a proven track record, helping over 2,500 people into work in the last five years.

Successful applicants will receive comprehensive training and support from the council throughout February. This vital preparation will cover essential employability skills, including interview techniques, time management, and expert guidance on creating a strong CV. Following this training, participants will move into a six or nine-month JobStart opportunity. Crucially, once this period is successfully completed, they will be offered an apprenticeship position with their employer, primarily in high-growth sectors such as construction, technology, and business services.

Attending the Jobs Fair on January 28th is straightforward – no prior registration is needed! It's your chance to hear all about the training available in February and to meet directly with employers offering these valuable JobStart Apprenticeship Pathway roles. Work coaches from the Department for Communities will also be on hand to check eligibility and provide personalised advice and assistance, ensuring you have all the support you need.

Councillor Ian McLaughlin, Chair of the council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, highlights this as "a great opportunity for anyone who is out of work or finding it difficult to take the next step to call in and see if this is the right fit for them." He added that the Belfast Labour Market Partnership-funded Employment Academies are "really popular in providing tailored training for jobseekers to develop their employability skills and to support employers with recruiting new staff," and this new programme responds to employer feedback, particularly in the construction sector, to equip candidates with confidence for growth sector careers. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons also encouraged attendance, noting that "JobStart is the biggest employment scheme of its kind" and "opens yet another avenue for jobseekers to enter and thrive in the labour market through bespoke training and development opportunities."

The JobStart scheme is specifically designed to support working-age benefit claimants who are currently unemployed or economically inactive and require assistance to enter the workplace. For more detailed information on the JobStart Apprenticeship Pathway programme and the upcoming Jobs Fair event, we encourage you to find out more online or through official programme channels.