JOBSEEKERS in East Lancashire have been urged to attend a job fair after hundreds of new and varied roles have become available.
Those interested will have the chance to speak to more than a dozen employers based at Manchester Airport at an upcoming jobs fair.
The airport’s operator Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has arranged the event in partnership with Manchester City Council, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Manchester Airport Academy.
The recruitment comes as staffing shortages have seen huge queues and delays form at Manchester and other airports; with passenger numbers returning to near pre-pandemic levels, airports have been left understaffed to cope with the rise in demand.
The jobs fair will take place at Wythenshawe Forum, between 10am and 1pm on Tuesday, May 24.
Hundreds of positions are available in airport security alone, and MAG is also looking to recruit for a range of other posts including engineers, traffic marshals and hospitality chefs.
On-site partners will be looking to fill roles in areas such as check-in, baggage handling, retail and food and beverage, all of which will help speed up the check-in process.
Aviation service providers due to be in attendance include Mitie, dNata, Stobart Aviation, ICTS Security and Menzies Aviation.
Retailers and eateries with Manchester Airport locations will have a presence at the jobs fair too, including Costa Coffee, Pret a Manger, Greggs, Barburrito, WHSmith, JD Sports, World Duty Free, Travelex and airport restaurant operator SSP.
Guests at the jobs fair will also be able to speak to a representative from the Airport Academy, a walk-in facility run in partnership with Trafford College.
The Airport Academy helps those who have been unemployed back into work, directly for the airport or for an on-site partner.
It provides free tailored training programmes and CV-writing workshops to enable jobseekers to gain relevant skills and secure employment.
Smart Works, a charity which supports women into new careers, will also be represented.
New recruits will be joining at what is a crucial time for the airport, which has seen a large increase in traffic since Covid-related travel restrictions eased.
Passenger numbers have already returned to around 80 per cent of pre pandemic levels, up from 40 per cent in January.
Further growth is expected into the summer with package holiday providers such as Jet2.com and Tui increasing their offering from Manchester, and long-haul airlines such as Air Canada and Kuwait Airways have announced new services in recent weeks.
Ian Costigan, Interim Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “The last two years have been challenging for us but the outlook for this summer is much more positive and we are looking forward to helping our guests get away on their well-earned breaks once more.
“To do that, we need to bring more people into our operation, and the event at Wythenshawe Forum will give jobseekers in our neighbouring communities an opportunity to find out more about the wealth of career options on their doorstep.
“We are making good progress in our recruitment drive. More than 1,600 people applied for jobs here in April alone and around 200 new starters are expected to join the operation this month, which will allow us to open additional security lanes during peak periods and improve customer service.
“We still need to expand our team further, though, so if you’re enthusiastic, customer-oriented and looking for the opportunity to do something different, we’d love to hear from you.”
Councillor Gavin White, Executive Member for Employment for Manchester City Council, said: "As Manchester Airport continues to recover strongly from the impacts of the pandemic, there are a wide range of job and career opportunities being created which residents of Wythenshawe and other parts of Manchester are well placed to benefit from.
“We're pleased to have been involved in organising this jobs fair and would encourage anyone who is interested to get themselves along and find out more. It could be the start of an exciting journey."
To book a free place at the Wythenshawe Forum jobs fair visit the Eventbrite page at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/manchester-airport-jobs-fair-tickets-328927479947
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel