AN employment drive is under way to fill 100 jobs in this region in April and May by focusing on using the local employment services network.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The jobs drive encourages businesses to use employment agencies to fill vacancies, finding suitable recruits from among the thousands of job seekers registered with them.
One Wauchope company that recognises the advantages of using employment agencies is dairy processor Sungrow, which has hired 10 people through employment agencies, and currently has four people in its workforce that it employed through agencies.
It is so much easier and quicker to use an employment agency, Sungrow factory manager Ross McLennan said.
Rather than it trying to sift through 50 job applicants, it can tell the agency staff what sort of skills or experience it is seeking and have them go through their lists of people already interviewed and assessed to find the most suitable applicants.
Sungrow has mainly sourced its employees through the local Wesley Employment and Training office, which aims to respond to an employer's inquiry about vacancies within 24 hours, says placement consultant Stacey Gunning.
"Ninety per cent of the time we get back to them in one day," she said.
In the case of Sungrow administration and sales clerk Kiah Archibald the service the employment agency provided seems to have worked to everyone's advantage.
Kiah has been happily employed by Sungrow since November 2012 and the company was able to get just the person it needed, quickly and efficiently. And it's all free.
"It's not easy to find a job," said Kiah, who is studying business administration part-time to improve her qualifications.
The regional jobs drive now taking place focuses on the advantages of agencies such as Wesley Employment, saying that the "employment services network provides quality advice and candidate screening for recruitment of great people. These include mums returning to work, people who have undertaken retraining and great people with a disability."
To learn more about the campaign phone 1300 056 769.
The advantages of using the employment services network are listed as:
* Candidates screened and short-listed
* Wage subsidies
* Post-placement training
* Employees mentored
* Uniforms, tools, equipment and licences paid for
* Access to government initiatives
* Free service.
