JET

At the end of January, JET had another of their popular Employer Events. We invited speakers along from the BBC, Barclays, Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) and Nexus to talk to clients about the variety of work they do, but also what kind of skills they are looking for in employees, and what makes a successful job application.

Dan Gould talked about work in the BBC. As well as technical jobs in TV, journalism, and radio..there are other essential jobs along the lines of general office/admin work. Members of the public can also visit BBC Newcastle on Wednesdays to get a feel for what it's like to work there.

Susan Pearson of Barclays Bank told us about jobs in banking. They are looking for people from a diverse range of backgrounds, and qualifications and experience are not essential—excellent customer service and enthusiasm is what matters most! Most vacancies are for Cashiers and Personal Bankers.  People should look on their website if they are interested in applying for Barclays jobs, as it’s often useful to find out all you can about the company first. They hold telephone interviews—making notes beforehand as to what you want to say about your skills, and knowing about the company, is good advice.

Mary McDonald talked about Your Homes Newcastle (YHN). They are a housing management company/social landlord. They want to regenerate areas by offering employment to local residents, and can offer work placements—this can be a good route into paid employment. There are also voluntary opportunities with In Line and Stepping Stones.  YHN offer good working conditions, a pension, and many training opportunities.

Finally, Gemma Hewitt spoke about Nexus, who run the metro and bus system for the whole of Tyne & Wear. Their bid for ₤600 million to renew old tracks and improve stations and platforms, could result in many job vacancies in the future. Nexus jobs include Train Drivers, Clerical Assistants, Maintenance Technicians, Data Collectors, Finance Clerks, Call Centre Staff, and Managers.  Gemma advised to  use their Person Specification as a checklist when applying for jobs, to ensure you have everything they want in a candidate. Benefits of working for Nexus include a pension and a free travel pass.

We had a very positive response from those who attended our event, and the fabulous hot food provided by Ayesha’s went down especially well!  A hearty thank you to all involved on the day.