Reading jobseekers helped to find social care work ahead of Winter

Over 500 jobseekers attended a jobs fair that included social care jobs as part of a drive by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to boost hiring for the sector ahead of the winter season.

The event at Reading Town Hall brought together 25 employers to offer roles in the vital sector as efforts step up to boost capacity in social care and in turn support the NHS ahead of the colder months.

Minister for Employment, Guy Opperman MP said:

“From care assistants to support workers, there are vacancies across the country with a variety of employers, including here in Reading that could help people take their first step on the career ladder.

“Social care is one of our top priority sectors and I encourage any employers struggling with recruitment to reach out to their local Jobcentre where they can benefit from sector-specific support, like this jobs fair.”

The drive follows an announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care earlier this month of an additional £40 million investment available for local authorities to bolster their social care provision – including increasing capacity and discharge rates – over the winter months.

Leading companies, including Reading Shared Lives were hiring on the day in a bid to address vacancies in the sector. A variety of roles were on offer at the Reading location, including care assistants.

There are expected to be 100 social care jobs fairs planned across Great Britain between October and Christmas, where jobseekers can speak directly with employers.

Deborah Peddle, an Employment Adviser based in Reading added:

“Reading jobs fair has given people the opportunity to meet with some of the region’s biggest social care businesses face-to-face.

“It’s crucial that people of all ages and backgrounds have the chance to progress and we want people to know our local Jobcentre teams is on hand to support them on their work journey.” 

There are also 9,000 vacancies in social care on the Government’s Find a Job portal, including social care assistant and teaching roles, demonstrating the breadth of roles available in the sector to suit different levels of experience.