The chief executive of Unity Homes and Enterprise has spoken of his pride following the successful staging of the Leeds-based BME housing association’s first careers fair.
Held at the at the Ramgarhia Sports Centre on Chapeltown Road, the free event attracted 22 exhibitors including Leeds College of Building, Arriva Rail Services, West Yorkshire Police, Leeds United Football Club, Yorkshire Asian Business Association, Bradford College, Equans and Lloyds Bank.
They were joined by scores of attendees of all ages from across Yorkshire who had the opportunity to talk to employers and agencies offering jobs, training, careers advice, training and volunteering opportunities.
A number of local elected representatives were also present, including Cllr Asghar Ali, Cllr Jane Dowson, Cllr Cristiana Mirosanu and Cllr Mohammed Rafique, together with Fiona Bolam, Leeds City Council’s Chief Officer for Economy and Skills.
Food and refreshments were served throughout the day.
Afterwards, the Unity team contacted exhibitors to thank them for their participation and ask for anonymous feedback on the most valuable aspects of the event for their organisation.
One replied: “Being able to talk to new faces, provide advice and support to those who need it and maybe can’t come to our events.”
Another commented: “Networking with other service providers and businesses.”
A third said: “Meeting with the local community and residents and seeing first-hand the positive impact the work Unity are doing is having on them. Also being able to meet some of the Unity team in person and understanding how we can help and provide further support.”
Sean Kelly, Unity Homes and Enterprise Regeneration Manager, said: “We were delighted by the first-class quality of exhibitors and the many interactions they had with everyone who came along to access training and employment opportunities or to seek professional advice.
“There is no doubt that we have set the bar very high with the inaugural Unity Careers Fair.
“Thanks to the feedback and experiences gained, we hope to raise the standard even higher next time around.”
Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise Chief Executive, said: “The event was a huge success, and I am proud of our Employment Services team who put it all together.
“Unity is relatively unique in the social housing sector in our commitment to help individuals in hard-to-reach communities overcome the barriers they face to improve their lives.
“We do this by providing a wide range of advice and support services for people to set up their own business, become self-employed, receive training and education, and enter employment for the first time or after a prolonged period of economic inactivity.
“The first Unity Careers Fair will certainly not be the last.”