Flexible Working Fair Exceeds Expectations

The UKís first recruitment fair designed around the needs of part-time and flexible life and work, the Flexible Working Fair 2007, attracted 33 exhibitors and over 400 visitors.

This one-day event, organised by Nina Daranijo, managing director of JustPartTime, was opened by Fiona Cannon, Deputy Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission who praised exhibitors for getting involved and for recognising the need to adapt to social changes in the workforce. Thirty three companies exhibited to promote specific job vacancies or provide information to job-seekers and those looking to retrain including London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Jobcentre Plus and Dial-A-Ride.

The Flexible Working Fair 2007 was also acclaimed for highlighting the growing need for companies to adapt their HR policies and offer part-time and flexible working if they are to attract and retain a high quality workforce.

The 400 visitors that attended the Fair at the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation on Londonís Bethnal Green Road were from various social and economic backgrounds, underlining the demand for part-time and flexible vacancies at every level within an organisation as well as within different industries; the majority of visitors (40%) were looking for Admin/PA/Secretarial work, followed by vacancies within healthcare, and then public sector, retail and tourism and leisure industries.

One of the main groups the fair was successful in attracting was parents who were thinking about returning to work, of those who registered 70% didnít want to go back to work full-time as they didnít wish to leave their young children in care all day, every day.

One such visitor commented, ìA solution must be found to the growing issues surrounding part-time work, employers should offer part-time and flexible jobs as standard. We need an event like this every 2 months to raise awarenessî.

Less than two years after starting her business, Nina has succeeded not only in getting funding to stage and promote this event but also to attract a wide mix of exhibitors and visitors. Such is the success of her first event that sponsors and exhibitors now want her to undertake a second and larger event later this year.