STANSTED is not just a regional airport but a national asset, ambitious about the future and a catalyst for economic growth and productivity.
It's also the largest single-site employer in the East of England, employing more than 10,000 people across 200 companies and pumping more than £400 million a year into the local economy in wages and salaries alone.
Today, Stansted's Employment and Skills Academy hosts its third jobs fair of the year, with about 100 jobs in a wide variety of roles on offer, at Enterprise House between 10am and 3pm.
As unemployment in the UK rises above 2.5 million and with one in five young people now out of work, this is a fantastic opportunity for Stansted to play its part in helping young people take the first steps on the career ladder, or supporting those looking to get back into employment.
The Academy provides a first class walk-in facility for anyone seeking employment at the airport, wanting to improve their skills, or get connected with apprenticeship opportunities.
It's an integral and vital part of the airport community, opening the door to more opportunities and giving more people across the region access to the wide variety of jobs and careers on offer at Stansted.
Through the work of the Academy, or Stansted's extensive community engagement programme, I regularly meet and talk to large numbers of young people from across the region.
They often fall into two extreme categories: those youngsters who have been told, while at school, that the job market is very tough and that there are no jobs out there, so many don't even bother looking for jobs after finishing their studies; and those who come out of university or college expecting to get a senior manager's role and instantly earn at least £15 to £20 per hour.
For those youngsters, dealing with the realities can be very daunting and sometimes difficult for them to comprehend.
Also, a significant number of young people are not fully aware of the potential opportunities that even a lower grade or paid job can bring.
The concept of proving themselves and working their way up to a managerial position is often not recognised by some and overlooked by many.
With so many different companies based at the airport, the opportunities to progress are boundless, but unfortunately many young people will risk disappointment and miss out if they don't act.
This is where the Stansted Academy comes into its own.
To help job seekers, the Academy offers a number of free training programmes, including a free vocational training programme for young people who are not in employment, education or training.
The courses cover a range of subjects including retail, customer service and sales, and involve modules on preparing for employment, working as part of a team, CV writing and interview techniques.
They even include a free lunch and travel.
Once completed, the Academy team help job seekers apply for various roles across the airport.
For those worried about the cost of the daily commute, help is also on hand.
The Airport Travelcard provides huge savings and discounted travel on bus, coach and train routes for all on-airport employees.
For example, a monthly Travelcard from Harlow (available for train or bus travel), Braintree, Saffron Walden or Chelmsford to the airport is only £52 per month and allows for unlimited use.
All potential job applicants are advised of the discounts, as are the local job centres.
To sum up; many young job seekers are confused by mixed messages and often give up before they even start.
By organising job fairs, attending numerous careers events and facilitating school and college visits to Stansted, we continue to promote the employment opportunities available at the airport.
Our overall aim is to get more local young people to 'discover' careers at the airport.
For more information or to find out more about jobs at Stansted Airport, visit www.stanstedair portacademy.com, or e-mail stanstedacademy@urbanfutures. org.uk.
