Packed New Year New Career event gives job seekers a boost

Packed New Year New Career event gives job seekers a boost

More than 120 job seekers attended our New Year New Career event – highlighting the growing need for employment support in the community.

Participants spanned the entire cross-section of the community; from secular to religious, from people seeking entry level jobs to those looking for senior roles, and from students starting to build a career to job seekers in their 60s and 70s.

Opening the the day of talks, Q&As and workshops, Work Avenue CEO Debbie Lebrett spoke about the real struggles people are facing in today’s economy.

She told how in 2025, we saw 4,238 clients engage with our employment and business services – including 2,070 people booking one-to-one employment meetings and a similar number attending workshops and events.

In positive news, Debbie revealed how we helped 512 clients secure a job last year, while also generating more than £62,000 in income for the freelancers in our Freelance Agency.

She said: “We live in a time when the economy is very challenging, the labour market has been cooling, vacancies are falling, graduate roles are tight, and finding employment and building a meaningful career at any stage of life can be tough.

“That’s why Work Avenue is here… to help our clients to earn a living with dignity.”

Attendees at New Year New Career benefitted from real life advice and insights from employers and recruiters, including Charlotte Collins (Editor-in-Chief, Sheerluxe), David Freedman (CEO, Confero), Adam Bloch (Head, Fusion Recruitment) and Eszter Bobvos (Head of People & Culture, JW3) and motivation from Adam Taub, one of the UK’s leading presentation coaches.

In two of the breakout sessions that followed, attendees learned how to turn two common career concerns – the threat of AI and worries about age – to their advantage.

Work Avenue Employment Adviser Richard Linden looked at how to use AI tools in the job search, helping to research roles, craft CVs and cover letters, and prepare for interview.

Work Avenue Head of Employment Melanie Pearl guided a session on turning experience into employability. She said: “There is age bias out there, that’s just a fact. But how you present yourself makes a difference. It’s time to reframe the narrative and show the strengths organisations need in uncertain times – experience-based judgment, well-developed communication skills, professional maturity and the ability to handle pressure.”

The third session, for which there was standing-room-only, was Launch into Law: Early Careers Unlocked. Attendees were guided through the steps to break into the legal sector, covering trainee solicitor and paralegal pathways, building compelling applications, and positioning transferable skills effectively, even for those without a formal law degree.

New Year New Career gave the chance for our team to lay out the full range of one-to-one advice services, courses and workshops they offer.

These include the launch of the brand-new Career Reboot for Women course, which will offer a mix of practical training, confidence-building and mentoring for women, and includes free Ofsted registered childcare.

Job seekers described New Year, New Career as “practical and inspiring”, “a real lift to my confidence”, and “what I needed to help me find a new job this year.”

Speaking about the event, Stuart, an older male participant, said: “This was such an informative day, especially learning how you can use age to your advantage.”

Marina, a female attendee who has only been in the UK for a few months, added: “I learned so many new things. Being able to hear directly from recruiters and employers about the skills they look for will really help me going forward.”

Read the Jewish Chronicle story on the event here.

(Pictures by Leivi Saltman Photography.)