Junkman gives fresh start
For the two years Bruce and Kirk McKay have been at the helm of rubbish removal business Junkman, they’ve grown the company on a philosophy of family and giving.
While helping people and businesses clear clutter, they also provide support to local charities like the City Mission, which make use of many of the recoverable items people throw out.
Kirk says the early days after taking over Junkman from its previous owner, Ben Boult, were an uncertain time when they essentially had to rediscover the market.
‘‘What we found is that we had a whole lot of other families supporting our family-run business. As the business grew and we needed more staff, we looked at how we could make a contribution to the community at the same time,’’ he says.
One way they did that was by giving a chance to people who had been longterm unemployed.
Regular users of the Junkman service will now notice a new person sitting beside Bruce every 13 weeks, as they do the rounds and Kirk ‘‘hides’’ in the office.
Junkman partners with Winz, Catapult and Job Connect for a constant supply of new CVs to peruse. ‘‘Our goal is to give these guys a go,’’ Kirk says.
‘‘It is pretty hard getting back into the workforce. They have lost the structure of regular work and also their confidence.
‘‘Our aim is to take them wherever they are at and after 8-13 weeks have them ‘match fit’ for a new employer – a bit like preseason training. I can then give them a good reference and help a prospective employer overcome the risk of taking on someone who has some gaps in their CV.
‘‘We don’t run a babysitting service here,’’ he adds. ‘‘Anyone who has spent a day with Dad on the truck knows what hard work feels like.’’
Kirk says the newcomers quickly become part of the Junkman family and the company consistently gets great feedback from customers regarding their work ethic and service.
To find out more about how Junkman can help you tidy up, or if you are a business owner looking for staff, call them on 0800 JUNKMAN (5865 626) or visit junkman.co.nz.