The jobs fair brought together young people with a learning disability and/or autism spectrum condition and recruiters from the local area to get to know each other and discuss job opportunities. This is a crucial part of Compass’ Mission to A Million commitment, pledges to positively impact one million lives by 2030.
Jonathan Foot, head of apprenticeships and early careers at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “This event really brings to life what Xcelerate is all about – supporting the local community and hospitality industry with our state-of-the-art facility. It was a great event and the feedback has been fantastic. It was another step forward in our ongoing partnership with DFN Project SEARCH, which is changing people’s lives.”
DFN Project SEARCH is a charity changing the lives of young people with a learning disability and/or autism spectrum condition by supporting them into full-time employment. The charity works in over 120 sites around the UK and is working to support 10,000 young people by 2030.
Ibrahim, who attended the jobs fair, added: “I found the reverse fair experience very interesting, as it was something I had never done before.
“It initially seemed overwhelming, but actually speaking with lots of employers to showcase my skills felt very good, as by then I had come out of my shell and was comfortable talking to new people. It really helped me understand what potential employers were offering and what qualities they were looking for.”