Blackburn is Hiring event hailed a success

The 2022 Blackburn is Hiring event took place at King George’s Hall on the 21^st of September.

It may have been a new location but the focus remained the same. Now in its fifth year, Blackburn is Hiring is made up of both education and training providers as well as local employers.

The event aims to inform young people of the options available once they leave school. Although the primary focus is on young people in Years 10 and 11, there is also information for those at Sixth Form, College and for those who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment and Training) in BwD.

Council Leader, Cllr Phil Riley said:

It was great to see so many exhibitors at the Blackburn is Hiring event at King George’s Hall. Schools from across the borough attended and my thanks go to sponsors FutureU, all the exhibitors and of course New Directions for organising this brilliant careers event for our young people.

This year the event hosted 65 exhibitors (including University of Bolton, EG Group, Lancashire Constabulary and the Royal Navy) and was attended by almost 2000 young people throughout the day.

Assistant Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, Councillor Katrina Fielding said:

It was wonderful to see such a wide range of options for further education and careers at the event and so many young people there to explore them. It’s clear that as a borough we have a lot to offer our youth and that they are keen to take on these opportunities.

The event aims to raise the aspirations of young people through conversation with providers and employers.

Jo Siddle, Head of Education at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

It’s always a pleasure seeing young people excited about their future and Blackburn is Hiring is one such event where we see this take place. It was also great to see so many schools attend and gain information about future careers and businesses.

It is also an opportunity for local businesses to meet with their potential employees and to inform young people of the skills they look for.

Matt Lord, Senior Future U Outreach Officer who sponsor the event said:

Blackburn is Hiring is an important event for the young people of Blackburn with Darwen, giving them an opportunity to engage with local employers, support services and further and higher education providers. That’s why Future U, part of the Officer for Students’ Uni Connect programme, is proud to sponsor the event which is only possible with the hard work of the Blackburn with Darwen Council New Directions team.

Event organisers New Directions provide career, training and education advice for all young people in the borough and hope the event aspired young people and showed them that there are many career options available to ensure a positive and thriving future.

Fifteen year old Lois who attended the event said:

It was good to have different colleges and employers all in one place so that we could talk to a variety. It was better than having to go to different open evenings. 

It was helpful to be able to ask questions about routes into different careers to plan our next steps after GCSEs and find out what’s available to us.