Northumberland firms rally after Merit closure

An employment support initiative is gathering pace in Northumberland as local businesses step in to help skilled workers find new opportunities following a company closure.

A second jobs fair is being held in Cramlington on January 21, organised by Business Northumberland, to support former employees of construction firm Merit, which closed last November, leading to around 340 job losses. 

Taking place at Cramlington Hub, the event will focus on employers recruiting for back office and professional roles, including administration, finance and project management.

The fair follows an earlier event in December and forms part of the work of the Merit Response Taskforce, established by Northumberland County Council alongside partners including the Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus, the Department for Education, the North East Combined Authority, Northumberland College and Northumberland Skills.

The taskforce was set up to provide immediate, practical support to employees affected by the administration of Merit Construction in Cramlington.

Councillor Richard Wearmouth, deputy leader of Northumberland Council and chair of the Merit Response Taskforce, said: “Employers and support organisations have acted quickly to ensure those affected feel supported and have clear, practical routes back into employment or continuing on their apprenticeship journey.

“This collective response shows the strength and resilience of our workforce and our county.”

Employers attending previous events have included Northumbrian Water, Osbit, JDR Cables, Thermo Fisher Scientific, the NHS and several manufacturing and engineering firms, alongside organisations offering careers advice and skills support.

Early results have already emerged, with some employers progressing candidates to interviews on the day and at least one former Merit employee securing a new role.

Ryan Pattison, resourcing manager at JDR cables, added: “December’s jobs fair was extremely well organised, and you were able to bring together a number of reputable organisations from the local area to support those recently made redundant.

“The event created a great opportunity for us to meet some brilliant candidates and even allowed us to fill a vacancy on the day, already welcoming one back into work with us.

“We’re also hopeful that a number of the other individuals we spoke with can be supported into work with JDR in the near future.”

Former Merit employees who would like to attend the next event can register here.

There is also a dedicated webpage to support Merit employees, which can be found here.

For more information or to connect with available candidates or recruiters, please contact Alex Kempster at Alex.Kempster@businessnorthumberland.co.uk or visit www.businessnorthumberland.co.uk.

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