Older job-seekers hunting for their first new jobs in 25 years are among those turning to the organisers of the new Otago Careers Festival for help, as the economic recession continues to bite.
Festival co-ordinator Victoria Bunton said she had noticed the trend as the group's inaugural festival wound up on Sunday, having drawn more than 2000 visitors to events across Otago during May.
Those attending included young job-seekers aged under 20 and older unemployed workers aged over 50, she said.
Several of those attending a Rotary Club of Dunedin event - `I've lost my job - now what?' - had been in the same job for 25 years, and had "no idea what the were going to do", Miss Bunton said.
The month-long festival pulled together pre-existing and new events, including expos, open days, seminars and talks, Miss Bunton said.
Events ranged from help with CVs and a `dressing for success' seminar to a medical imaging open day at Dunedin Hospital's radiology department, which led to eight people expressing interest in half-day work-shadowing at the department.
The festival cost about $50,000 to run, with funding from the Community Trust of Otago and the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, Miss Bunton said.
Exact visitor numbers were not yet known, but it was hoped the careers festival would become an annual event, she said.
