Some people were disappointed with the fair.

Thousands of people visited the Redbridge Jobs and Training Fair on Thursday in search of jobs, courses and career advice.

Recruitment agencies, colleges and training providers were joined by businesses including Debenhams and London City Airport for the annual event at Redbridge town hall.

Around two thousand people registered on the door and more are thought to have attended outside stalls.

Visitors were also offered career advice and a CV surgery was on hand. But some people were disappointed by the lack of vacancies they found on offer.

Bob Grey, 64, came from Chigwell hoping to apply for jobs at the event.

He said: “It was an absolute waste of time.

“There was no one in there actually offering jobs, everyone was referring people to websites and I’ve already been looking on the web.

“I’ve only got a year left before I retire but I want to work.

“At an event like this I would expect to come away with at least three or four starting chances but I’ve come away with nothing.”

Marium Janjoor, 30, from Barking, agreed. She said she could have “easily” found the information she was offered at the fair on the internet.

But friends Zain Mahmood and Rajandi Birdi, of Ilford, were feeling more optimistic.

Zain, 18, said the fair was “really useful”.

He added: “I’m taking a gap year so I’m looking for work experience in accounting. Hopefully something will come of it.”

Rajbinder Olive, from Chadwell Heath, was looking for new experiences after a 22 year career in banking.

She said: “I had some time off getting married and starting a family and I’m finding it more difficult than I thought to get back in.

“My CV is very business-orientated so I’m looking into doing some charity work.”

A Redbridge Council spokesman said there were a “large number of vacancies” on offer at the fair.

He added: “The Jobs and Training Fair is also an opportunity for people to learn more about companies and their application process, training providers and access useful tools to help with job searching, such as the CV clinic. “It is part of a whole range of support on offer through Work Redbridge, to help people find opportunities to get back into work.

“We are already aware of at least four individuals who gained employment as a result of attending the Jobs and Training Fair and we hope to hear of many more.”

14,000 Redbridge residents were classified as unemployed between April 2011 and March 2012 and 6,567 people in the borough were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance last month.