More Than 150 Events To Take Place During 'Jobs Week'

Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar, has launched Jobs Week with more than 150 events taking place nationwide for employers and jobseekers.

The initiative is hosted by the Department of Social Protection to highlight the range of employment supports and services available to employers and jobseekers. 

Jobs Week 2016 runs until Friday, 30 September, and it's expected that more than 14,000 jobseekers will attend the events.

Minister Varadkar visited just one of the many 150 events today at the Department's Intreo Centre in Blanchardstown, where the Defence Forces are encouraging young men and women aged between 18 years and 25 years to consider a career with them.

Over 150 other events will be held in venues all over the country, providing information and practical support to local employers and jobseekers. These include jobs fairs, career advice workshops, job shadowing initiatives, networking events with employers and briefings for employers on Department services.

A wide range of employers are taking part including Dell, the Irish Defence Forces, Atlantic Aviation Group, Phonewatch, Last Minute Minders, Pepper Asset Servicing, Northern Trust, Virgin Media, Stryker, STL Logistics and many more.

Minister Varadkar urged jobseekers across Ireland to check out events in their counties. He said: "I encourage jobseekers and employers to visit some of their local Jobs Week events. Whether you're looking for work or for a new or better job, services on offer include advice on applying for jobs, preparing CVs and interview skills as well as job offers. Employers also have an opportunity to find new staff from their local area.

"Unemployment has almost halved from a peak of 15% to 8.4% today and long-term unemployment is down to 4.4%. The Government want to halve it again. This means intensifying our focus on activation and guiding more people into work through a 'jobs first' approach, improving the quality of jobs available by making sure that work pays through reductions in the USC and improving work-related social insurance benefits like paid paternity leave, and by focusing on intergenerational unemployment and jobless households."

(MH)