Around 40 organisations are exhibiting at a job fair today (4 December) aimed at connecting refugees to employment.
The event is hosted by hiring platform Indeed and Tent UK, an organisation that supports refugees into work, at the Kia Oval cricket ground in London. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Department for Work and Pensions are also partnering with the event.
The employers come from sectors such as hospitality, retail, healthcare, energy and professional services.
Tent UK member employers such as ISS, Marriott International and Menzies Aviation are among those on site to talk to attendees.
Refugee employment
Employers across Europe commit to hiring thousands of refugees
The companies will conduct interviews for a range of roles such as sales assistants, housekeepers, chefs, accountants, and mechanical engineers. Jobseekers will be given advice on how to create CVs and cover letters for the UK market.
Jobseekers will be able to make use of translation services offered at the event, in languages including Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto and Ukrainian.
According to UNHCR, the UK currently hosts just over 600,000 refugees and other forcibly displaced people, predominantly from Ukraine, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Iran, Eritrea, and Syria.
Tent UK says refugees face numerous structural barriers to employment, such as lower language skills, a lack of social and professional networks, and lack of access to childcare – job fairs help to remove some of these barriers.
Jen Stobart, director of Tent UK, said: “Securing meaningful employment is one of the most important milestones in a refugee’s integration journey and an opportunity for businesses who can fill open vacancies from a skilled, resilient, loyal, and often overlooked talent pool.”
Clive Meyers, director of business strategy at Indeed, added: “Access to quality employment should be available to everyone, regardless of their background and where they come from.
“This is our ambition at Indeed and we aim to go far beyond simply connecting employers and candidates. It’s paramount to work to reduce the biases and barriers that too often prevent people from accessing the opportunities that suit their skills and needs.”
Since 2022, Indeed has organised a number of job fairs across Europe in partnership with Tent and UNHCR aimed at refugees. Last year’s event in London attracted more than 1,000 potential recruits.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Talent management opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more talent management jobs
