Whittlesea jobs fair to put leisure, hospitality jobs in the spotlight

(Evangeline Shaw on Unsplash)

Young people in Whittlesea aged 16-30 years looking for employment or work experience are invited to a free Local Jobs Fair to learn about a range of local jobs available in the leisure and hospitality sectors.

Delivered as part of the Victorian government’s Jobs Victoria Advocates program and run by Whittlesea Community Connections in partnership with Belgravia Leisure and the Restaurant and Catering Association, the Local Jobs Fair will showcase a significant number of vacancies and training opportunities for job seekers from local employers.

Whittlesea council chair administrator Lydia Wilson said this is a great opportunity for people looking for work in sectors that have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We know that the leisure and hospitality industries have been hit hard over the last few years through lockdowns and more recently through staff shortages and are now looking to bounce back stronger than ever,” Ms Wilson said.

“We’re excited to help local people find local jobs or work experience which in turn will support our local economy to continue to recover from the effects of the pandemic and this is a really creative partnership approach.”

Representatives from Mill Park Leisure, Thomastown Recreation and Aquatic Centre, Whittlesea Swim and the Restaurant and Catering Association will be there to share jobs and training opportunities.

Jobs Victoria Advocates will also be on hand to answer questions and help job seekers with their applications, resumes or to connect them to local skills and training opportunities. Whittlesea Community Connections is one of more than 75 Jobs Victoria partners providing free support to people looking for work through the Jobs Advocate initiative.

Examples of the jobs on offer through Belgravia Leisure’s Simply the best summer jobs program include swim teacher and lifeguard, which also includes paid training and qualifications.

The Restaurant and Catering Association will be offering internships at hospitality businesses such as cafes, airlines, restaurants and catering companies through their PaTH Business Placement Partnerships. This five-week program provides hands-on training, support and mentors to young job seekers to help them gain meaningful employment in the hospitality industry.

The Local Jobs Fair will be held at Mill Park Leisure on Thursday, February 3. Two sessions will be held, at 2pm-3pm and 4.30pm-5.30pm.

Details: whittlesea.vic.gov.au/jobshelp