Over 12,000 Olympic Borough residents offered jobs, reveals London Mayor

By David Owen

May 18 - Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, has sought to talk up the benefits of London 2012 for ordinary Londoners by highlighting the impact of this summer's Games on the local jobs market.

A release from the recently re-elected Mayor says that 37,000 previously workless Londoners have "gained access to employment through London 2012 related activity", adding that 8,000 additional permanent jobs are planned for the Olympic Park after the Games.

The 37,000 figure is composed of previously unemployed Londoners who either found employment on one of the major projects associated with the Olympics – including Westfield – or "benefited from skills development and job search support delivered by a project linked to the Olympics" and found work as a result.

Johnson also revealed that about 12,000 people living in the six East London Olympic Host Boroughs have been offered jobs at the Games.

These jobs would see local residents delivering "essential services" in the Olympic Park, such as catering, cleaning and security.


Identifying jobs as his "top priority", Johnson (pictured above) argues that the Games can deliver a "real economic and jobs boost to all parts of London in these tough times".

"We can already see the great strides that have been made to see that people local to the Olympic Park are getting jobs and work experience," the Mayor continues.

"However we must go much further and build on this impressive start using the Games as a springboard to delivering a lasting legacy of jobs and economic benefit for the whole of this great city."

His comments come at a time when the number of jobless in Britain as a whole exceeds 2.6 million.

Over a million 16-to 24-year-olds were looking for work in the first quarter.

Contact the writer of this story at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Related stories
February 2012: People are not convinced the Olympics are benefiting Londoners, claims Assembly 
October 2011: Tens of thousands of jobs at London 2012 Games to become available
October 2011: MPC and IBC must have a skilled jobs legacy warns senior London Assembly member
September 2011: BP and Deloitte launch campaign to create 1,000 jobs in Olympic Boroughs
July 2011: London 2012 Games jobseekers urgently need more support warn Assembly