WORKINGTON MP Mark Jenkinson has hailed his first inaugural skills fair a huge success - as almost 70 businesses showcased all West Cumbria has to offer at the event last week.
This is the first year Mr Jenkinson has hosted a Skills Fair, but he said he hopes that this will become a yearly fixture in his constituency calendar.
Speaking to the Times & Star from the fair on Thursday, February 9, Mr Jenkinson said: "It's fantastic, we have got nearly 70 employers, training providers, universities, colleges here showcasing what they have on offer to our 16–18-year-olds and even our adults.
READ MORE: Workington MP Mark Jenkinson hosts inaugural constituency skills fair
"I have seen this work. I have seen the benefits these have, obviously John Stevenson runs them in Carlisle, Trudy Harrison has ran them in Copeland.
"We had planned one of these, or started planning one that was scuppered by Covid, so I am obviously delighted that in 2023 we have finally got our inaugural skills fair thanks to my fantastic degree apprentice Kate Walker who has done all the hard work getting people here today.
"We have had a steady stream of people coming in to meet with employers and training providers and I'll be happy if one person walks in here today and sees an opportunity that they didn't know was available to them prior.
READ MORE: Workington MP announces Skills Fair event for young people
"We have got to give everybody the best opportunity to understand what is available on their doorstep if possible. Too often we see people making decisions about where they will go before they fully understand the range of opportunities on offer.
"They end up going to university and then of course sometimes, why would you come back from the bright lights of the city? Why would you want to come back to Workington?
"But I think if we can showcase what people can do on their doorstep, with the quality of life that we have here in West Cumbria as well, coupled with earning decent money in decent sectors, I think that's the most important thing, just getting people to understand the options that are available to them."
Mr Jenkinson wished to thank all the people who have contributed to the skills fair.
He said: "I just want to thank all the sponsors that have made this happen, there is a lot of hard work gone into this and it wouldn't have happened A, without Kate and the rest of my team in the office, but B, without the sponsors."
The sponsors and exhibitors included Holmen Iggesund, the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Lakes College, University of Cumbria, Gen2, JTL Training, the Cumberland, Sizewell C, and Energus.
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