Scotland’s Largest Refugee Job Fair: A Celebration of Talent, Inclusion and Collaboration

Refugee Employment Network (REN) is proud to have been part of a collaborative initiative to deliver Scotland’s largest refugee job fair to date,  bringing together over 400 skilled and talented New Scots with more than 40 employers and refugee support organisations at the historic Glasgow City Chambers.

This wasn’t just a one-day event. It was the result of months of collaboration and shared commitment across our partners: Scottish Refugee Council, Breaking Barriers, Bridges Programmes, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Glasgow Futures, Glasgow City Council and Business Glasgow, Skills Development Scotland, and REN — the Refugee Employment Network.

One-on-One Support from HSBC

A standout contribution came from our friends at HSBC. Over 20 HR, Talent, and Hiring Managers from HSBC volunteered their time to run personalised employability workshops reviewing CVs, preparing candidates for interviews, and offering expert career guidance.

Over 100 New Scots took part in these one-to-one sessions. For many, it was the first time receiving direct support from professionals in their desired field. That confidence boost and clarity is exactly what inclusive recruitment should look like in action.

Real Conversations, Real Impact

Employers from a wide range of industries joined us to speak with attendees, review CVs, and advertise live vacancies. From finance and healthcare to tech, hospitality, and consultancy the room was full of opportunity.

For refugee participants, it was a chance to be seen not through labels but as professionals with skills, experience, and ambition. For employers, it was an eye-opener into the incredible talent that refugee communities bring to Scotland’s workforce.

The Power of Partnership

At REN, we’re proud to have initiated this event and brought partners together, because we know that greater impact happens when we collaborate. Working in partnership allows us to:

• Reach more refugee jobseekers with tailored support
• Engage more employers to share live roles
• Break down the barriers to employment, one conversation at a time

Special thanks to Anita Yu for chairing our partnership group and to Euan McLeod for ensuring diverse professional pathways were represented on the day.

Join the Movement

If you’re an employer, policymaker or community organisation looking to support refugee employment, join the Refugee Employment Network. There’s so much more we can do together.

Let’s keep building a fairer, more inclusive employment ecosystem — where every New Scot has access to opportunity.

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