HUNDREDS of exciting job opportunities were up for grabs at The Oxford Times Job Fair returned.

There were 25 employers in the main hall of Oxford Town Hall yesterday for the first job fair of 2018.

Hundreds of jobseekers attended and were able to find out more about the many different roles on offer at the event at the venue in St Aldate’s.

Major employers including the Army, South Central Ambulance Service and Oxford Bus Company were among those taking part from 10am to 3pm.

There were a number of employers from the care sector, including event sponsors Day and Nightcare Assistance and Autism at Kingwood, based in Lower Earley near Reading.

Among those visiting was mum-of-two Natalie Slade, 28, from Oxford, who was ready to return to work after looking after daughters Leila Mustafa, eight, and Talia Mustafa, five.

She said: “I thought the fair was very well organised and well laid out and it gave me a good opportunity to speak to several different employers on one day.

“I’m training to be a teaching assistant at the moment at Abingdon and Witney College but I thought I would come here to see what other options were available.

“As well as teaching I’m also considering the care sector because I want to do a job where I can help people.

"I had a chat with the ladies from Autism at Kingwood, and staff from South Central Ambulance Service – I gave them my details.”

The fair was organised by Newsquest Oxfordshire, the group which owns the Oxford Mail, and staff attended to direct jobseekers when they arrived.

Organiser Ravinder Pal-Hampton said: “It’s been another successful job fair at the Town Hall, which is a very good central venue for this kind of event and we look forward to the next one.”

Jobseekers were invited to pass on their CVs and contact details and find out about the variety of jobs on offer.

Lucy Arnold, operations graduate at Oxford Bus Company, was among staff greeting prospective employees.

She said: “We have been recruiting for drivers, engineers and support staff.

“The job fair is a very good opportunity for us to get people engaged and find out more about the jobs we have on offer.

“Being a bus driver can be a satisfying career and it can be quite lucrative as the roles are quite well paid.”

The free job fairs are held twice a year, in February and September, and yesterday's was the the fifth.

The first fair in 2016 attracted more than 1,500 jobseekers.