The West of England metro mayor has launched a new platform to help jobseekers in the Bristol and Bath region find jobs.
The Jobs Connect West site was commissioned by the West of England Combined Authority (Weca), led by Dan Norris, and built by Bath-based software company Cognisess.
It will match local people to jobs with hospitality and tourism employers in the region.
People looking to find new roles can create and upload a digital CV that will be shared with recruiters, as well as applying for positions and testing their skills through online games, according to Weca.
Businesses can also use the platform to list their current vacancies.
Mr Norris said: “Jobs Connect is a bit like a dating agency for jobs. Job seekers and businesses upload their profiles and the website plays matchmaker.
“Individuals can do personality tests to figure out their compatibility, and there are top tips to make sure you put your best side forward and stand out from the crowd.”
Mr Norris said he was hoping to make it easier for people in the region to access jobs - and change perceptions of the hospitality industry, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.
He said: “Hospitality doesn’t mean a temporary solution of waiting tables to see you through; it can be a varied, high-skilled, career for life.
“We have some amazing tourist attractions and brilliant places to eat out in the West of England. By developing Jobs Connect, we are matching up more people with the many restaurants, pubs, hotels, bed and breakfasts, campsites and attractions across the West of England, ensuring we thrive in the future."
The launch of the new website took place at The Salamander in Bath.
The venue’s owner, James King, said: “As a hospitality careerist, from bartender to chef to management to business owner, I have felt the struggles of recruitment within the industry from all angles. This is especially the case after Brexit and a pandemic, with so many staff heading home to Europe."
He added: “I think the work the West of England Combined Authority have put into this project can have a strong impact on the culture of hospitality recruitment and the overall perception of a career in this incredibly rewarding industry.”
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said the industry welcomed the support of Weca and its latest initiative.
She added: “Jobs Connect will be a key element in the drive to boost recruitment and to highlight hospitality as an industry that provides interesting, exciting and rewarding long-term careers.”
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