Earlier this month, theICEway – AKA, ‘A Hertfordshire IT Company’ – was privileged to appear at a very special event. The Disability Inclusive Job Fair Welwyn Garden City 2023, to be exact. Here we dive into what was a fantastic day for all involved, with the help of our chosen representatives at the fair.
The Disability Inclusive Job Fair
On 5th October 2023, the latest Step2Skills Inclusive Job fair took place. Partners in the event included Oaklands College, Jobcentre Plus, Welwyn & Hatfield Council and Welwyn Garden City BID. The objective of the fair was to bring employers and local individuals with disabilities who are interested in routes to employment together. Employers in attendance could discuss the roles they offer plus share insights on what they look for among candidates and the skills required in their sector.
Hosted by Oaklands College in Welwyn Garden City, the job fair was a hugely valuable day. It gave employers including theICEway the opportunity to engage with the wider community. More importantly, it presented the chance to tap into a diverse work force of very talented individuals.
A Real ‘Eye-Opener’
Freddy Loft (FL) and Robert Richardson (RR) were nominated to represent us. The pair manned a stall for the day and engaged with attendees; here are some of their thoughts on the event.
FL: “Being a Disability Confident employer, it was only natural that we wanted to register for this job fair. We were very hopeful that the attendees would be interested in meeting with a Hertfordshire IT company. After all, there were so many different companies set to appear that they were really going to be spoilt for choice! After speaking with Hertfordshire County Council though, it became clear that we should definitely take a stall. They were very keen for theICEway to be present because not only are we a local company, but we were also one of few tech brands to actually sign up. Of course, for us technology is a really interesting area. Luckily, so many of the people who came were really eager to see what we had to offer.”
RR: “It was definitely an eye-opener. We must have spoken with at least 30 people who were all keen on entering the world of IT. We didn’t plan on collecting any CVs, but the attendees were so talented that we just had to. It was a really good day from start to finish. We arrived early to set up and after a welcome speech from the Oaklands College Principal (Andrew Slade), it was time to start. The fair was open until 3pm to the public and we didn’t stop.”
FL: “It was definitely one of the best job fairs I have been to as a potential employer. IT was such a popular subject and we had so many interesting conversations. We’ll certainly be looking to participate in the next one.”
RR: “I think Freddy and I are very keen to do this again in the future. Hopefully theICEway can benefit from the discussions we had on the day, too.”
Next Steps
As our dynamic duo alluded to, this job fair was an excellent opportunity for our organisation. Not only did we encounter people interested in tech, but they were all so impressive. In the weeks ahead, we’ll be following up on our internal efforts to live up to our status as a Disability Confident employer. We will also be adding more job fair dates into our diary, so do keep an eye out for theICEway if you plan on going.
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