In 2021 as lockdown restrictions were eased, I relaunched the Watford Jobs Fair in partnership with the local Job Centre Plus.
The Watford Jobs Fair is a great opportunity for individuals who are receiving Universal Credit payments to meet a wide range of employers from a great variety of sectors.
Attendees can receive advice on how to enter the job market, or how to upskill themselves in order to further advance their career.
There are also workshops for people looking to improve their interview skills or hoping to update their CV.
A number of new business have recently opened in our town, and it is fantastic that businesses want to come to Watford, and I very much welcome the jobs and investment that come with it.
I would like to put on record my thanks to the Job Centre staff for helping, not just today but all year round. UK unemployment has fallen to lowest level since 1974, and this is thanks to DWP staff across the country. Through our Plan for Jobs, the whole of the UK Government is focused on protecting, supporting, and creating jobs across the country.
More widely, I am proud of the Government’s record on raising the National Living Wage, and I welcomed the Government's decision to increase the National Living Wage by almost 10% to £10.42 an hour, for those aged 23 and over from April 2023.
