Pictured above: (l-r) Lance Sgt Lyndon Findler is joined by Siamha Butt, of Pertemps People Development Group, Signaller Dan Murphy and Georgina Murphy, of Pertemps People Development Group, as they prepare for the Armed Forces Careers Day in Birmingham

Birmingham jobs experts are hoping to reduce the ranks of the unemployed by staging an armed forces careers day.

Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) will hold the event at its Sparkhill office where visitors will get the chance to talk to recruitment teams from the Army, Territorial Army, Royal Navy, Navy Reserves, the RAF and RAF reserves.

The aim is to give local jobseekers the chance to meet military personnel and find out more about opportunities within the armed forces. Applicants can also learn more about support that's available from PPDG in areas such as basic skills and online job applications.

The Armed Forces Careers Day will take place on Saturday, June 26, at PPDG, Stratford Road, Sparkhill, from 10am- 2pm. For more information call 0121 777 6687. There will be presentations by armed forces representatives at 11am and 1pm.

Georgina Murphy, site manager at PPDG's Sparkhill Advancement Centre, said: "We're really excited about this event because it gives visitors a chance to meet representatives of all sectors of the armed forces all in one location. It is an excellent opportunity for our client groups and the local community to gain information and support that they may not get elsewhere, and find out more about all the services Pertemps People Development Group has to offer.

"It is so important for unemployed people to take advantage of the full range of support that is available if they are to get back into work or into self employment. We hope that local people will come and meet our team to discover more about all our support services, from improving confidence to developing skills."

Major Bob Bath, head of Army recruiting in the Birmingham area, said "I am delighted with this opportunity to work in partnership with Pertemps People Development Group and to be able to bring Armed Forces job opportunities out of the careers office and into the communities. PPDG have made their building and facilities available to the Navy, RAF and Army for the day and we will be there ready to offer advice, assistance and briefings to anyone wishing to find out more about the Armed Forces or who wants to make an application to join any of the three services."

PPDG has a network of advancement centres across Birmingham - including Harborne, Newtown, Nechells, Handsworth and Sparkhill - and throughout the Midlands. It works in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and other organisations to deliver Government-funded employment and training initiatives including Flexible New Deal (FND), Work Focused Training, Lone Parent mentoring, and facilitates access to Learndirect provision. It also delivers the Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF) initiative, a partnership between Be Birmingham, Jobcentre Plus, Birmingham City Council, and the LSC.

More than 100,000 job seekers have been helped into sustained employment by the company since the projects began. It has trained 130,000 people in vocational skills, and over 175,000 people have benefitted from professional information, advice and guidance services.