Southampton Jobs Week – supporting residents on the road to job success

Southampton City Council is preparing to launch the inaugural Southampton Jobs Week from 9 August to 13 August 2021.

Organised by the council’s employment support team, throughout the week there will be a wide range of participatory activities online and across the city to help residents find their next job as well as give employers an opportunity to secure local talent.

This includes:

• Careers advice - Guidance for young people as they receive their GCSE results
• A Virtual Jobs Fair on Wednesday 11 August - With the aim of directly linking recruiting companies such as IKEA, Carnival and G4S with local jobseekers. This is a great opportunity for residents to showcase their skills to major employers and secure jobs in the process. Find out more information and book your place
• The launch of the Young Adults Employment Hub (Youth Hub) on Thursday 12 August in Guildhall Square from 12pm - 4pm - Young people and their families will have the chance to learn more about the Hub and meet the council’s employment support team, as well as visit different organisations providing a range of job-related support services. Young people will also have the opportunity to meet employers with live Kickstart vacancies at the ‘Kickstart your Summer’ event, held at MAST Mayflower Studios. Young jobseekers are encouraged to dress for the occasion as many employers will be carrying out interviews on the day

Throughout Southampton Jobs Week, there will be Kickstart, Jobs and Apprenticeships hours on @sotoncareers and videos, success stories and advice posted online so look out for the hashtag #SotonJobsWeek. A special episode of the podcast, ‘THE JOBCAST’ will be out on Tuesday 10 August, where residents can hear advice, find out about the Youth Hub and get a taste of what’s to come for the rest of the week.

Councillor Spiros Vassiliou, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture & Heritage, Southampton City Council, commented: “As we are coming out of the pandemic, it is vital to support those that are looking for new opportunities – whether that’s your first job or an apprenticeship, or accessing retraining due to the economic disruption caused by the pandemic. Southampton Jobs Week aims to bring together local businesses and local jobseekers to help provide great employment options for people and Get Southampton Moving again. We’re providing local, tailored support through the Young Adults Employment Hub, a wealth of projects delivered by the employment support team to help residents make the most of the opportunities available.”

Councillor Jeremy Moulton, Cabinet Member for Growth, Southampton City Council, commented: “Southampton Jobs Week is a great example of how we intend to Get Southampton Moving by showcasing how – as a city - we are open for business with the jobs and apprenticeships on offer as well as the talent and skills our residents possess to strengthen our economy. ‘Kickstart Your Summer’ at MAST will see a cultural asset of the city host an event to secure paid work placements for young people in this important national initiative. As the furlough scheme begins to wind down, we need to ensure employers and residents have the support available that will improve our economy. Southampton Jobs Week is just the start and more initiatives are to follow.”

Preeta Ramachandran, South of England Area Director, Department for Work and Pensions, commented: “Southampton Jobs Week is a fantastic opportunity for young unemployed people in the city to speak directly to employers, access Kickstart opportunities, benefit from career guidance and utilise a brand-new Youth Hub. It’s also a great initiative for employers, because events like this give them the chance to meet local candidates face-to-face and fill large numbers of Kickstart vacancies quickly.”

Ross McNally, CEO and Executive Chair of Hampshire Chambers of Commerce, commented: “Southampton Jobs Week is a much-needed boost for the economy and makes sure we keep our residents connected to the range of opportunities available. The Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is delighted to support this initiative and would encourage employers across the city to get involved as we attempt to build back better from the pandemic.”

Sara Scott, Executive Director of MAST Mayflower Studios, commented: “We are delighted to host Southampton City Council’s ‘Kickstart your Summer’ event at MAST Mayflower Studios. After such a difficult 18 months we are absolutely committed to supporting young people to enter the workplace. Kickstart is a fantastic opportunity for businesses and young people alike as we all recover from the impact of the pandemic”.

For more information

• Department for Work and Pensions - A key partner in Southampton Jobs Week, sole funder of the Young Adults Employment Hub and champion for the national Kickstart initiative. Contact Andy Sherman MBE JP, Employer and Partnership Manager: andrew.sherman1@dwp.gov.uk
• Young Adults Employment Hub
• Solent Apprenticeship Hub (SAH) - Led by Southampton City Council, this is a free, impartial service targeted to employers and residents to increase their engagement in apprenticeships. SAH are also a Kickstart Gateway, supporting smaller businesses in the national Kickstart initiative
• Grow People - Southampton City Council's free and impartial guide to support your decision making at the key times in your education and working life