More and more employers are turning to their local jobcentre for expert help matching jobseekers with their vacancies.

Mike Nicholls, Gloucestershire Jobcentre Plus manager, said: "It looks like summer has arrived and with a record level of vacancies, we want to make sure that June is for jobs.

"In Gloucestershire, we have been hosting employers who have a single vacancy that they need to fill urgently, along with jobs fairs with multiple employers who have dozens of vacancies. Every vacancy with every employer is important to us, no matter how big or small, as jobs change lives."

Des, a work coach based in Stroud Jobcentre, recently arranged an interview for one of his customers with an employer who was in the office and the employer was so delighted with the customer that he offered him a job on the spot.

Des said: "Although I've been doing this job for a few years, it still gives me a huge buzz when one of my customers gets a job. The more we have employers in the office, the more people we can match to their vacancies."

Employers are finding it challenging to attract people to fill their vacancies, so Gloucester Jobcentre ran a Disability Confident jobs fair last month, which attracted 130 customers to talk to 10 employers who attended. This encouraged employers to consider all types of customer for their vacancies, as many people with health issues go on to become valued employees.

Gloucestershire Airport is one of the local employers building a relationship with Jobcentre Plus, with Gloucester's employer services manager, Joanna Smith, going to talk to the airport's managing director, Karen Taylor, about future closer working.

Mims Davies MP, minister for employment, said: "Today the unemployment rate remains close to a 50 year low, and still well below pre-pandemic levels, with almost two million more women in work than 2010. That's fantastic news, but there's more to do.

"Work is the best way for people to provide for their families - those going into full time employment could be at least £6,000 better off than out of work on benefits. That's why we've launched the Way to Work campaign to get half a million more people into jobs.

"From job opportunities in Jobcentres to skills bootcamps for people considering a new industry, there's a huge amount of help out there, and our work coaches are working tirelessly to get people at any age, or career stage, into fulfilling and stable employment."