JOBSEEKERS young and old said finding work is tougher than ever as more than 1,000 people flocked to the Oxford Mail Job Fair today.

People from all walks of life told of their struggles to land a job, two days after it was revealed the number of people signing on in Oxfordshire rose by 812 to 9,156 – the highest rise in unemployment in a year.

There are now 2,250 more people claiming the benefit than in January last year, and jobseekers said the increased competition for work made their search harder.

Janet Ozay, who is in her 50s and from Cowley, has been looking for a permanent job since last September and needs to work at least 30 hours a week to make ends meet.

The mother-of-three, who is qualified to teach English as a second language, formerly worked in a JobCentre herself.

She said: “I can’t find a job, but I’m desperate. Life is very frustrating at the moment.

“I have just changed my CV to take out my qualification dates, because I feel I’m being passed over for interview because of my age.”

Pilot Amanda Miles came to the job fair at Oxford Town Hall to hand out her CV to employers in the aviation and hospitality industry.

The 36-year-old from Tubney, near Abingdon, lost her job as an air ambulance pilot in Turkey four months ago and has since sent out her CV for more than 150 posts.

She said: “In the current economic terms it’s important to look at other areas and I’m here to see if my skills can go into other jobs.

“There are more pilots than there are jobs, so it’s very difficult right now and when a job comes up hundreds apply.

“It’s very demoralising without a job.”

Among the 24 different employers exhibiting at the job fair was the JobCentre itself, whose staff told 18 to 24-year-olds about the Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee.

The scheme promises a job, training or work experience for the 440 Oxfordshire 18 to 24-year-olds who have been without a job for six months or more.

It has so far placed 30 young people in jobs across the county.

Warren Dance, a 22-year-old from Abingdon, lost his job as a technical engineer nine months ago, but now manages a database at the county council through the scheme.

He said: “This has been a life-saver.It’s really hard to get jobs for people who haven’t got experience at the moment.”

Sophie Keay, employment engagement manager at the JobCentre, which currently has 1,232 vacancies in Oxfordshire, said: “It’s important not to give up hope – the majority of people get back into work within three months and more than 70 per cent within six months.”

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk