HUNDREDS of jobseekers are likely to fill Blackbird Leys Community Centre tomorrow at a landmark job fair.

According to organisers, the event will be the first in the history of Blackbird Leys to take place on the estate itself.

So far a total of 29 employers, from Wetherspoons to building firm Willmott Dixon, and from the Co-operative to KFC, will be present.

The event is being organised by social enterprise Aspire and is the second community-based job fair this year following a successful one at Barton in July.

Chief operating officer Paul Roberts said: “No one I have spoken to, and no one at the city council, is aware of this happening in Blackbird Leys before.

“The idea is getting employers to come to where residents are. Although unemployment is low in Oxford, that means recruitment companies are struggling. They know that they need to change the way they recruit.”

According to figures published in 2011 about a tenth of the Blackbird Leys population are unemployed and just under a third have no formal qualifications.

Aspire is planning to hold at least two ‘pre-job fair’ sessions to explain to participants how to approach employers and get their CVs up to scratch.

On the day, the centre’s IT suite will be open and representatives from the National Careers Service will be on hand throughout with advice.

As well as companies looking to recruit, organisations like Ruskin College and the Workers’ Educational Association will also be there to help people explore their options.

Mr Roberts added: “We are trying to do events like this because we see it as a first stem.

“Across the county, there are only three or four thousand people on Jobseekers’ Allowance, but about 20,000 are on income support or incapacity benefit.

The reforms are going to change very quickly in terms of how much people get, and that does increase the sense of urgency of this event.”

Today the Leys Community Development Initiative (CDI) will rent out its usual space in the Glow Hall for the event, and the Boiler Room community cafe at Pegasus School will do the catering from the Jack Argent Room. The elderly social group Friendleys, who normally use the latter for their Wednesday meetings, are planning to go out for a meal.

Among the employers taking part is construction firm Willmott Dixon, taking on the £20 million refurbishment of Windrush and Evenlode Towers next year.

As part of its contract with Oxford City Council it is committed to fighting youth unemployment and championing ‘community transformation’ in the Leys.

Operations director Jason Wellard said: “The Job fair is a key opportunity for us to meet potential candidates.”

For details call 01865 204450 or email info@aspireoxford.co.uk