Northeast Somerset careers event seeks to reach an underrepresented community

An event led by a range of careers organisations is being hosted at Midsomer Norton library

By Alastair Salmon

Midsomer Norton Library is hosting a big careers event on the 14th of June to support those looking for job opportunities, further training, or guidance for small businesses.

The New Opportunities Event will give people a chance to talk to a range of career support organisations to help them understand how they can develop their careers – from openings in the job market to free training to take things in a different direction.

Claire Middlehurst is the Team Leader at the careers organisation Future Bright; she explained why they hope the event will be beneficial to those needing guidance:

“It’s really hard to know what support is out there to help you achieve these things, and the reality is there’s actually loads of support, but the problem is lots of different organisations run lots of different things. So, we really want people to come in and find out all the information about what’s available in one place and go away feeling really empowered to take their next step.”

A range of services will be available at the event; Future Bright support those already in work move forwards in their careers, and Bath College have a wide range of courses of different levels. There’s also more specialist support from organisations like Cool Ventures, which helps small businesses, and We Work for Everyone, which prioritises accessibility in the workplace. Additionally, there will be support for those who are unemployed and are looking to get back into the job market.

The organisations present at the event operate as one extensive network of support. So Future Bright can recognise which organisations will best fit the needs of people who use their services.

Claire believes the chosen location of Midsomer Norton will help them reach a sadly underrepresented community:

“I think it’s a great opportunity as a project to let residents in the Midsomer Norton area and beyond know what we do. There used to be a job centre in Midsomer Norton, and I think people who live in Northeast Somerset don’t get as much access to some of the support services as in other areas – it’s a really great opportunity for us to connect with people locally.”

The event runs on Tuesday 14th of June from 11 am to 2 pm at Midsomer Norton library in The Hollies. No booking is required, turn up on the day, and someone will be available to point you in the right direction. However, if you can’t make it to the event, you can get career guidance from Future Bright by emailing them at futurebright@bathnes.gov.uk.