By Michelle Crean

There was a feeling of excitement about the future as up to one thousand jobseekers turned up to today's (Wednesday's) jobs fair - to meet with potential new employers.

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Pictured at the Jobs Fair in the Great Southern Killarney on Wednesday were: Camila Sciacca and Eilis Loughrey (HR Manager iNua Collection) talking about future job opportunities. Photo: Michelle Crean

VOLUNTEERS: Peter O'Toole (left) from the Mountain Meitheal and John Dwyer (right) from Killarney Tidy Towns pictured explaining about becoming a volunteer to Nataliia Sputai Olena Kuchura and Valentina Fediuehak at the Jobs Fair in the Great Southern Killarney on Wednesday. Photo: Michelle Crean

JOBS FAIR: Pictured at the Jobs Fair in the Great Southern Killarney (GSK) on Wednesday were: Joanne Griffin (Enterprise Officer SKDP) Paula Noguera Baro Milandi Basel (Group HR Director GSK) Fred McDonogh (Red Chair Recruitment) Inga Gedgaudaite (South West Engineering) and Katy Jacobi (Events Manager Killarney Chamber). Photo: Michelle Crean

BEER CAREER: Keelan O'Connor stopped by the Killarney Brewing and Distillery Company's stand at the Jobs Fair in the Great Southern Killarney on Wednesday where Ivan Ashe Muireann King and Paul Barrett chatted about a career in brewing. Photo: Michelle Crean

RECRUITMENT: Pictured at Wednesday's Jobs Fair in the Great Southern Killarney were Chloe O'Connor and Paddie Keogh from the O'Donoghue Ring Collection speaking to Alina Porovai and Sofia Burlakova about recruitment. Photo: Michelle Crean

Held in the Great Southern Killarney from 10.30am to 2pm, the South Kerry Jobs Fair, organised by South Kerry Development Partnership CLG in conjunction with Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, had more than 50 employers at their stands with over one thousand jobs on offer. Positions were available across all sectors with some employers having one hundred plus positions available to fill.

A number of other organisations who provide support services and educational opportunities for potential employees also took part in the event to ensure that all those who attended would be able to avail of all potential employment opportunities.

The event was aimed at helping jobseekers, many with a broad range of skills and backgrounds, meet directly with employers so that both sides could get to know each other in an informal setting.

Employers will now have the chance to follow-up with potentially suitable employees in the coming weeks.

SKDP’s Enterprise Officer Joanne Griffin said she was delighted with the turnout of both employers and potential employees at the event.

“There was a very short timeline towards organising this event and the response to it from everyone has been remarkable,” she said. “Between ourselves and the Chamber, we put a huge effort into organising the event and it was fantastic to see it was so well received by all.”

Speaking on behalf of the Killarney Chamber, Katy Jacobi said they were delighted to see a huge range of sectors represented on the day which was a huge enticement to the jobseekers to see the variety of employment opportunities available in the region at the moment.

Breda Flaherty of Dairymaster who was recruiting at the event said that she was delighted with the turnout and the calibre of potential employees.

“We got some very, very interesting and some very, very top quality CVs and there are definitely people we are interested in employing,” she said.

SKDP CEO Noel Spillane said that it was great that SKDP and the Killarney Chamber could link up in this pro-active way towards supporting both employers and potential employees in the region.

“We were delighted to work with the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce in organising this event and we hope to continue this partnership, both with the Chamber itself as well as its individual members, through our range of support services to assist the development of all business sectors in South Kerry."

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President, Niall Kelleher, said the business community was delighted with the turnout and very happy to be able to put jobseekers and employers in touch with each other.

“This event could well have provided the opportunity many people were waiting for to embark on a successful and enjoyable career,” he said.

Exhibitors on the day included Liebherr Container Cranes, Killarney, Kenmare and Cahersiveen Credit Unions, Gleneagle Group, Sheahan Group, Killarney Brewery, AA Euro Healthcare, Fexco, O’Carroll Engineering, Tricel, Kelliher’s Toyota, Azucko, Kerry College, MTU, Resilience, Smart Loans, Total Telecoms, O’Donoghue Ring Collection, Finance for You, Great Southern Hotel, Exocover, Southwest Engineering, Kerry Respite Centre, HSE, Home Instead, Dairymaster, AIB, Corcoran’s Furniture, Killarney Park and Ross Hotels, Cahernane House Hotel, Red Chair Recruitment, Ballyroe House Hotel, Fill A Shift, GMIB, Brand Geeks, Muckross Park Hotel and Spa, Mr Price, Aghadoe Heights Hotel, 10 Bridge Street, SICAP and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare.