Skills minister backs huge jobs fair backed by Ladder for the Black Country

Five hundred unemployed young people in Walsall are being invited to the event at Walsall College with the promise of leaving with a clear route into a job.

Dozens of businesses, training providers, and business leaders will be on hand and the Ladder for the Black Country - which is run by the Express & Star, training provider PTP, the Vine Trust, and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce - will also be giving information about applying for some of the apprenticeships created by the scheme.

Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Walsall North Douglas Hansen-Luke has organised the careers day at Walsall College on March 19 between 10am and 2pm.

He hopes each person attending the event will walk away with either a job or training opportunity.

He said: "Every single one of Walsall North's 500 young unemployed will be invited to the event and by the end of the day will have been matched with either a job, an apprenticeship, a training opportunity or a mentor.

"Recovery has come to Britain but I want to ensure that it's a recovery for all and that the youth of Walsall can enter the workplace and develop the skills for long and prosperous careers."

Mr Boles said: "I am really looking forward to joining Douglas Hansen-Luke at the careers day he is holding. I congratulate the Express & Star for championing the Ladder for the Black Country and hope to meet hundreds of local employers, apprentices and young people."

The Ladder for the Black Country has created more than 150 jobs with 51 employers taking on apprentices.

Chancellor George Osborne las week described the project as 'brilliant'.

Rob Colbourne, managing director of PTP, said: "We are thrilled with the initial success of the Ladder campaign, not only gaining the support of employers to fill their vacancies with apprentices, but highlighting to numerous school leavers and unemployed clients that an apprenticeship is a fantastic opportunity to earn as you learn. This event will add substantial value to the initial Ladder successes and we appreciate the support from Douglas in putting this event on."

James Norris, assistant principal of Walsall College, said: "We are committed to ensuring that every young person in the community is able to access the outstanding education and resources available at Walsall College to set them on their chosen career paths.

"We are delighted to be involved in the Ladder for the Black Country initiative, and together we aim to help as many young people as possible to get onto the job ladder."