TOLL GATE, Clarendon — The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is to stage a second job fair in less than a week, after hundreds of jobs seekers turned up at Clarendon Park for the first staging last Friday.

That successful job fair was staged in collaboration with Juici Patties Limited.

It was scheduled to begin at 9:00 am but many young people arrived as early as 7:30 am. Some had travelled from as far away as St James and St Ann, hoping to land a job.

“People are willing to move now. This younger generation, they are willing to take risks and move — and we love that. That shows their drive and their passion about being employed,” said Tashana Wilson, counsel in the Legal, Compliance and Corporate Services Department at Juici Patties.

Wilson told the Jamaica Observer that the ministry reached out to the company and they worked together to come up with a list of vacancies, including electricians, kitchen staff and production workers.

“Clarendon is such an important parish to Juici Beef Limited; this is where it started. We know that unemployment is still an issue in Jamaica and, of course, Juici Patties Limited is key on nation building and helping the youth, and also persons who may not have a job who want to get experience,” added Wilson, who pointed out that other Clarendon companies were also invited to participate in the job fair.

“We reached out to also Murray’s Jerk and Fish Hut and also Nations Choice Limited, and other persons in the area who would have key interest in the labour market,” said Wilson, who was one of the interviewers.

She estimated there were more than 300 job seekers at the fair.

“We were very happy with the turnout. We saw from the turnout that it’s very important to have these job fairs. We saw so many young persons are here, and it was great. …We also assisted them and give them pointers as to how to sharpen their interview skills and also step up in their résumés,” she said.

Nineteen-year-old Toll Gate resident Jhanelle Morant was among those hoping to land a job.

“I want to better my life, better my mother’s life — just make sure sey everything get covered because it’s really hard… I really need the job at this moment,” said Morant as she expressed confidence that her interview with Juici Patties went well.

“It was fair enough. I like what I hear. The gentleman actually tell me say he like everything that I said… everything make sense,” she said.

Sadly, Kevaugh Brown, a 24-year-old from Summerfield in the parish, did not fare as well.

His phone died and no one had a charger to lend.

“Mi résumé deh on my phone and my phone is dead,” he said dejectedly.

The ministry’s December 1 job fair, according to its website, will aim to identify workers for service-based positions within the BPO, wholesale and retail industries.