On Tuesday, 450 job seekers attended the Job Fair Kempen in Westerlo, organised by the local government in collaboration with the Flemish employment service VDAB.
The first hour was reserved for former employees of the bankrupt interior chain Casa, which had a significant distribution centre in Westerlo.
The job fair was organised in response to various bankruptcies, restructurings, and other layoffs in the Kempen region, affecting companies like ArcelorMittal, Umicore, Cummins-Hydrogenics, and Culinor. Organisers estimate that about 500 people are actively seeking new jobs due to these layoffs.
However, there are currently around 3,500 vacancies in the same area, and the aim of the job fair was to connect job seekers with these opportunities.
More than thirty companies participated, each bringing a number of open positions. Outplacement offices and trade unions were also present to provide advice. Former Casa employees were given priority for consultations.
Bjorn Cuyt, the Antwerp Provincial Director of VDAB, stated, “Losing a job is significant, but it doesn’t have to be the end. We aim to offer affected employees new prospects and introduce job seekers to employment opportunities in their region.”
