Uxbridge Community Job Fair
Seetec in Uxbridge hosted a successful community job fair on 9 January, in partnership with Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP Danny Beales, helping local residents take positive steps towards employment.
Held at Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) – Uxbridge Campus, the event brought together jobseekers, employers, and support providers on what was a cold winter’s day – but inside, the atmosphere was full of warmth, encouragement, and opportunity.
A Partnership Built on Community Support
The partnership between Seetec and Danny Beales began last summer, when the MP visited Seetec’s Uxbridge office to learn more about how the organisation supports local people into work. During the visit, Danny met Seetec customers, listened to their stories, and spent time with the local team.
When Seetec later suggested working together to deliver a community job fair, Danny was keen to support an event that would directly benefit his constituents.
After careful planning between Danny’s team and Seetec team leader Cresta Dell, HRUC’s Uxbridge Campus was chosen as the ideal venue to bring the local community together.
Strong Turnout Despite Winter Weather
The event was open to local residents, Seetec customers, and HRUC students, and despite the wintry conditions, more than 120 jobseekers attended on the day.
Over 40 professionals, including employers and support providers, came along with hundreds of job, training, and apprenticeship opportunities — making it one of the most impactful employment events in the area so far this year.
Inspiring Stories Open the Event
After networking over breakfast, Danny Beales officially opened the event, welcoming partners and thanking them for coming together to support the local community.
He then introduced Mariola, a Seetec customer, who shared her inspiring journey into self-employment.
A single mum, Mariola had been out of work for 12 years while focusing on raising her family. With tailored support from Seetec, she has now taken a positive step forward, becoming a self-employed cleaner in a role that fits around her family life.
Mariola
Seetec’s support has helped me to explore my employment options and find the perfect opportunity to help me move forward with my life.
Lived Experience Helps People to Overcome Lifes Challenges
Next to speak was Kavita, who described her journey from unemployment to becoming an employment adviser at Seetec. Drawing on her own lived experience, Kavita now supports others facing similar challenges.
Kavita shared:
“My lived experience will help me to support others and I’m just so grateful to be doing a job that helps people to overcome their barriers to work.”
The final guest speaker was Rohit, who spoke powerfully about perseverance and determination. With support from Seetec, Rohit launched his own business, Rkeytech Consulting Ltd, a tech recruitment company.
Through Seetec funding, Rohit was able to access specialist start-up support from Momentic, which played a key role in turning his business idea into reality.
Each speaker was met with warm applause before Cresta officially announced the opening of the job fair.
A Buzz of Opportunity in the College Hall
As the doors opened, jobseekers were welcomed and guided into the college hall by HRUC staff, where Seetec’s employee owners signed attendees in and helped them connect with employers.
Before long, the hall was buzzing with conversations about careers, training, and future ambitions.
Attendees had access to an impressive range of organisations, including:
- Royal Mail
- Global Group Support (Directory Guys)
- Diffusion Elite Security
- HRUC training and apprenticeship teams
- Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce
- Harlington Care
- Belina Grow
- Agueda Estrada-Calle
- Cultiv8
- Transform and Achieve
All were on hand to speak with local people about current vacancies, training routes, and next steps.
Positive Reflections from the Day
Reflecting on the success of the event, Danny Beales said:
“Today’s event was a great success. It was really inspiring to hear from participants about the impact the support from Seetec is having on their lives. I’m grateful to such a wide range of employers for coming and to Seetec for organising.”
The event closed at 2pm, and what began as a cold winter morning ended with renewed hope, motivation, and real opportunities for Hillingdon residents.
Seetec team leader Cresta Dell added:
“Hosting a job fair so early in the year is a fantastic way to help local jobseekers get off to a strong start. This partnership shows how powerful community collaboration can be in changing lives.”
An Employer’s Perspective
Royal Mail’s Community Champion, Tim, shared valuable insight into the event from an employer’s point of view, highlighting the strong interest from jobseekers and partners alike.
Reflecting on the day, Tim told us: “We had some great discussions with Danny and some great candidates as part of a busy day with lots of interest in the Royal Mail jobs offering, also networking with other organisations our brand was very popular.”
He also praised the collaboration behind the event, adding: “Thanks to the Seetec team and Danny Beales for hosting such a great event.”
Looking Ahead
Planning for the next Uxbridge job fair is already underway, and Seetec is encouraging employers, recruitment agencies, and support providers across Hillingdon and London to get involved.
To find out more or take part in future events, please contact: 📧 externalcomms@seetec.co.uk
