JOBS and people will be brought together at the Dorset Echo Jobs Fair.

The Weymouth Pavilion fair, on Thursday, June 21, is expected to attract more than 1,000 job seekers.

It will include a series of workshops that will allow people to brush up on skills to help them get back into work or learn skills to find their first job.

The fair, from 11am to 7pm, is sponsored by Weymouth College.

Jo Appleby, business development director at the college, said: “Weymouth College is proud to sponsor the Dorset Echo Jobs Fair.

“Being at the heart of the local community for education, we know the importance of supporting local people and businesses.

“We look forward to the jobs fair and hope it’s the first of many.”

BEST Training is running free workshops throughout the day.

The firm has just opened up a training centre in Weymouth in Egdon Hall, Lynch Lane.

It also has training centres in Poole, Winton and Ringwood.

CEO Lin Manners said: “We’re delighted to be involved. The jobs fairs we were involved with in Bournemouth and Poole were really successful and we had more than 140 people going through our workshops. We had a lot of responses from people saying it really helped them to get a job.”

All the courses and programmes BEST offers are government funded.

“We feel that in the current climate the training we are providing to job seekers is essential to help candidates learn new skills to help them get jobs,” Lin said.

Bookings are still being taken for employers to have a stand and showcase their firm. Packages include a free buffet lunch for two and free car parking for a car, tea and coffee and stand space to include a table and chairs.

Anna-Maria Geare, president of the Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber supports the jobs fair.

She said: “The jobs fairjobsfair is something as a chamber that we’d like to be involved in. Our members are all running businesses.

“They need to be able to have a good quality of employee who can hit the ground running.”

Mrs Geare said the event would be crucial for job sjobseekers who have been away from education for some time, adding: “Young people seem to have quite a lot of support within the school network.

“Many people in their 20s and 30s are going through a change of life and looking for a new career.

“There are also long-term unemployed or self-employed people going back into employment.

“It will be a chance for them to learn how to sell themselves.”

Call the Echo recruitment team on 01305 830835 to book a stand.