‘Local jobs for local people’ was the message Hunter Valley Quality Meats spread across the region last November and three months on, the company is pleased to announce they have achieved just that.
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The Primo Smallgoods operator announced intentions to employ 100 extra people as part of its expansion and development, and last week they proudly revealed positive results.
To date, the business has filled the 100 positions, and they are now offering another 50 positions to suitable local candidates in a bid to provide employment and reduce the company’s reliance on temporary labour.
The positions range, but are predominantly general labour roles with a specific focus on young, fit people.
Those employed range in age from 17 years through to 60 years with varying degrees of experience from school leavers onwards, all in permanent full-time positions.
The intense recruitment process kicked off in October when the company responded to the high rate of unemployment experienced in the Upper Hunter due to changing economic conditions and the downturn in the mining industry.
Hunter Valley Quality Meats human resources manager Leah Welsh said they were pleased to have filled the positions with predominantly local people from Scone, Muswellbrook, Aberdeen and surrounding areas.
“We have definitely employed more than 100 people and we are continuing the interview process to fill another 50 positions, as we still have a number of suitable applications,” Ms Welsh said.
“The labour hire company did previously help when we couldn’t get workers, but due to the downturn in mining a lot of candidates have become available.
“We just want to reinforce to the community that we are about locals and employing local people.
“We are trying to put back in and give back to the local community,” she said.
“While it’s good for us, it’s also good for the people as we’re offering job security where a lot of other industries are not.”
Two new employees, Ethan Cottom and Anita Johnson, started working as labourers in the boning room about two months ago with their new jobs very welcomed.
After being without a permanent job, both were very grateful to gain a permanent position and have full job security.
Two other people employed during the recruitment program were Faron Winwood and Braiden Lewis, who both work on the slaughter floor.
Starting as a general labourer, just out of school, according to Ms Welsh “Braiden has shown initiative to impress his supervisors with his enormous potential and is now training in more intense slaughtering roles”.