The job fair, taking place on Tuesday, October 27, aims to fill the 532 open vacancies in the South-East Limburg region. 1,100 job seekers are expected, including 30 residents receiving benefits. This latter group has undergone application training beforehand to facilitate a smoother application process at the fair.
Joris Philips, director of VDAB Limburg, highlights that at the end of September, there were 3,058 unemployed individuals in the region. Nearly 40% are low-skilled, 20% have a work disability, and 31% have a migration background, indicating a greater distance to the labor market. The application training, organized in collaboration with Travi, is designed to help these job seekers present themselves positively to local employers.
Maatwerkbedrijf De Wroeter will provide information to companies at the job fair about jobs in the social economy, as there are many job seekers with a 'maatwerk ticket' but too few vacancies. The participating companies have been informed in advance about the profiles of the job seekers.
Jo Feytons, mayor of Tongeren-Borgloon, emphasizes the importance of work for providing perspective, structure, and social contacts. He sees the job fair as a way to bring job seekers and employers closer together and reduce barriers.
Guy Kersten, alderman for employment in Riemst, stresses the need for collaboration between local authorities and VDAB to make the step towards employment easier.
Bruno Steegen, Mayor of Bilzen-Hoeselt, points to the increasing responsibilities of local authorities in activating people, and the importance of tailored support based on talents.
Hilde Broers, OCMW chairwoman of Voeren, views the job day as a step towards sustainable employment and an inclusive community.
Inge Hauben, sector consultant at Travi, gladly supports initiatives that strengthen job seekers and give them that extra push to apply with more confidence.
The job fair will be officially opened at 9 AM by Mayor Jo Feytons and Joris Philips. More information is available at https://www.vdab.be/jobbeurs-tongeren-borgloon.
