More than 5,000 people were interviewed at a record jobs fair in Bluewater.

Over 600 jobs were on offer at 50 of the shopping centre’s retailers during the second annual recruitment drive inside the Glow exhibition hall.

Careers advice was offered by organisers the Learning Shop, the training facility based at the site.

Among those praising the event on Friday was Dartford MP Gareth Johnson.

He said: “All parties involved should be thrilled at what they have achieved.

“The jobs fair is a fantastic initiative and has a very worthwhile impact on the community.

“It is an exemplar of how the public and private sectors can work together to make a very real difference on a very large scale.”

Bluewater general manager Robert Goodman said: “We are proud this year’s event was such a huge success.

“Bluewater’s retailers, restaurants, the Learning Shop and our management team joined forces to provide direct access to a significant number of employment opportunities.

“Combined with the expertise and advice available, we are confident that today has made a very positive difference to hundreds of people living locally.”

Founded during Bluewater’s construction, the Learning Shop has gained employment for more than 32,000 people, trained over 17,000, and awarded in excess of 15,000 qualifications.

Operations manager Ann Connell said: “The jobs fair is a very effective way for potential employees to combine meeting prospective employers with obtaining advice on how to write a CV to interview tips and techniques.

“This year, by hosting the event at Glow, the Learning Shop was able to connect more members of the community with more employers for more jobs.”