The Daily Echo backed Partners in Care jobs fair in Bournemouth has been hailed a huge success. It took place at the Premier Inn hotel in Westover Road and attracted 130 jobseekers, which “for a sector specific care event is really positive and beats our previous attendance records”, according to Katie Bennett, Care Ambassador Project Co-ordinator for Partners in Care.

“Care often gets a negative press”, she said. “There’s more to it than washing, cleaning and feeding. There won’t just be care roles but others, too. Why wouldn’t you work in care?"

“There’s job satisfaction – you get the satisfaction of helping someone on a daily basis, which can’t be quantified. There are flexible working hours that include full – time and part – time for those with children.  There are various roles to satisfy all types of people. The more qualified you get, the better the pay is.  You can go in with no qualifications and come out with a degree paid for by the employer.”

She added: “We’re a growth industry. My friends in estate agency and other sectors have lost their jobs but no one I know in the care sector has.”

The Care Ambassador scheme run by Partners in Care, also attended the event to encourage and inspire jobseekers to pursue a career in care.

There were 19 exhibitors: 

• Diverse Abilities Plus
• Essential Nursing and Care Services Ltd
• Harbour Care Group
• The Regard Partnership Domcare
• Goldsborough Home Care
• Nurse Plus
• Carewatch – West Dorset
• Home Instead Senior Care
• Bluebird Care
• Care South Homecare Bournemouth
• Fairhope Ltd
• Altogether Care
• Agincare UK Ltd
• The Care Division Ltd
• Caremark (Poole & East Dorset)
• Prime Care Community Services
• Somerset Care
• Willow Care South
• HMR

“We have seen 25 people and invited 12 for interview,” said Liana Bendall, recruitment consultant for Nurse Plus in Bournemouth.”

Erin Rudkin, recruitment consultant at Essential Nursing and Care Services Ltd, who was “looking for registered nurses and domiciliary carers,” saw 20 people and invited four to interview.

Partners in Care was established 10 years ago and works to raise the standard and quality of adult social care across Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset.