AROUND 2,000 jobseekers are expected to descend on Leeds for the North’s biggest digital and tech recruitment event.

Fifty exhibitors will be taking part in the Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0 at the First Direct Arena. The event will take place from 3.30pm to 7.30pm on Thursday, October 24.

The job fair will feature three speakers and is being sponsored by Leeds City Council, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, Bruntwood SciTech and Fruition IT.

Chris Witham, digital delivery lead at NHS Leadership Academy, will talk about his personal experiences of mental ill-health and the importance of employees taking care of themselves and each other in the workplace.

James Hall, director of Leeds-based Parallax, will guide attendees through the process of setting up a digital agency from scratch, including common technical and logistical challenges.

Sally Bridgewater, an associate software developer with Sky, will deliver a presentation into how two apparently unrelated subjects - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Scrum, the project planning system used by software companies – brought together in her home life with dramatic results.

The Job Fair is being organised by Herd digital job board founder Amy De-Balsi.

She said: "I am always excited in the run-up to the Leeds Digital Job Fair, but next month’s event will be more special than ever before.

"The city’s digital and tech sector is rooted in inspiration and a powerful desire to break down barriers by sharing knowledge with others.

"Our three guest speakers have been carefully chosen to reflect these values, with each bringing something a little different to the platform."

Recent sign-ups have included IT and business consultancy BJSS, Sky Betting and Gaming, the Department for Work and Pensions, Yorkshire Building Society, First Direct and the British Library.

Ms De-Balsi said:"We are thrilled at the varied range of well-known businesses and public sector organisations that we have been able to confirm so far, with several more to be announced soon.

"All will have vacancies available on the day as the Leeds City Region digital sector continues to flourish and expand."

She added: "People of all ages keen to progress their careers in tech by coming along to the event are invited to register for free."

Employers interested in exhibiting at Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0 or individuals wanting to attend should visit www.herd.careers.