Swindon firms are lining up to take part in an employment fair at which Honda workers affected by the car manufacturer’s recent job cuts will be able to find out about vacancies.
Some 14 firms have so far pledged to attend the event, at the Stanton House Hotel in South Marston on May 23 – the day the redundancies take effect. More firms are poised to sign up. 
The jobs fair is one of a number of initiatives by the special task force set up in Swindon to ease the plight of Honda workers being made redundant along with contract workers at its South Marston plant.
The Japanese car maker announced 500 job cuts in March along with the closure of one of its two production lines on the site. The move, which is also resulting in a move from three-shift working to two, was blamed on lower-than-expected European sales of Swindon-built Honda.
Honda, which now employs around 3,000 people on the site, also axed around 600 jobs last year.
The task force – spearheaded by Forward Swindon, the town’s economic development company – was established to minimise the economic impact on the local economy.
It was also meeting employers at today’s Swindon Business Show to maximise the number of vacancies available to Honda workers at the jobs fair.
At the event Honda workers who have recently left the firm will be able to look at the kind of posts on offer, talk to these businesses and arrange interviews.
The task force is still eager to hear from any other organisations that have job vacancies. It has a dedicated inquiry email for firms wishing to make contact at: taskforce@forwardswindon.co.uk.
Task Force project manager Jill Annal said: “We are now moving into the phase where we know who will be looking for new career paths.
“This makes it more straightforward to offer practical help and put these candidates in touch with appropriate vacancies. We are working with the business community to maximise the opportunities for these people. We are also helping them directly to prepare for their new jobs.”
As well as Forward Swindon, the task force includes Swindon Borough Council, the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), the Skills Funding Agency, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), Business West, UKTI, Swindon two MPs and representatives of local businesses.
Help offered by the task force includes:
* One-to-one sessions with qualified careers advisers
* Job search workshops
* One-to-one help sessions on money and budgets
* Help in getting new qualifications
* Advice on setting up in business
* Help to apply for new jobs through the Job Club
* Advice and support for people worried about the prospect of changing jobs
