The Association, which attended the event, said Invest in Renfrewshire was performing a “vital role” in helping employers find the right staff.

Invest In Renfrewshire is Renfrewshire Council’s programme to boost the local economy and tackle unemployment by working closely with local employers.

It hosted last week’s fair at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley which attracted a large crowd ranging from apprentices seeking opportunities to more mature workers looking for jobs.

Both Paisley and Barrhead Housing Association have vacancies from a modern apprenticeship to permanent posts with details on their websites.

Paisley also used the event to promote the “federation” of housing associations in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire of which it and Barrhead are members.

FLAIR - as it is known - seeks to bring together the expertise of several housing providers while supporting communities where they have their homes.

Kathleen McCutcheon, chief executive of Paisley HA, said: “Invest in Renfrewshire is doing a great job as it continues to work at grassroots level to fight unemployment and work with others to enhance job opportunities for Renfrewshire people.

“We found the event extremely worthwhile and it gave us the opportunity to talk to people and explain the important role housing associations fulfil - as well as promoting our own vacancies.”

FLAIR runs its own academy whereby individuals thinking about serving on housing association boards or management committees are offered free training.

The next Flair Academy starts in April, lasts until June and is held on a Tuesday of each week. People interested in helping the community by supporting the work of housing associations are encouraged to sign up for it.