Employers, jobseekers connect at hiring day

Armed with a blue folder filled with copies of her CV, 18-year-old Zoe Kilgour was one of many who attended the biggest jobs expo to be held in Marlborough.

Kilgour finished school last year, and worked Marlborough’s grape harvest this year. Now she’s looking for her next thing.

‘‘I really enjoyed [harvest] – I’ve come here to hopefully find something similar,’’ she said.

Marlborough Hiring Day, held yesterday at Marlborough Lines Stadium 2000, saw 23 employers from the region come together for a recruitment ‘‘speed dating’’ event that gave people seeking employment the opportunity to speak with employers face to face.

While many youngsters in

Marlborough tend to leave the region after high school,

Kilgour said she intended to do an online interior design course and work a job in Marlborough.

Her friend Trinity Forbes, 18, said she also planned to stay in the region for the next couple of years, and attended the event to understand what job options were available.

‘‘I’m looking for experience before hopefully heading off to teachers’ college in 2022 or 2023,’’ Forbes said. ‘‘I’ve got no experience anywhere except for with kids, so I’m interested in seeking what’s out there. This has actually been really helpful.’’

Ministry of Social Development top of the south regional commissioner Craig Churchill said the event was about helping to connect people with career paths, rather than just finding a job.

A similar event in Motueka saw 88 people employed on the spot, Churchill said.

‘‘What we’re trying to do is get people jobs, and not just shortterm jobs, (but to) create career pathways for people as well,’’ Churchill said. ‘‘There’s quite a shortage of labour [in Marlborough], and what we’re really focusing on is convincing Marlborough young people, and people of all ages, that there’s a real opportunity to stay and work here in this region.’’

He said there had been a lot of interest from employers attending the event, which meant the organisers had to turn some down.

‘‘It’s an exciting time, there’s lots of opportunity here, and we just really want to highlight that. We’re already seeing some really successful examples of jobs that people may not have even considered.’’

Onefortyone Kaituna Sawmill general manager Tracy Goss said the company wanted to