Campbeltown employers are interviewed by local jobseekers
A JOB’S FAIR at the town hall offered an eye-watering selection of Kintyre jobs for potential employees.
Wyvex Media’s advertising director, Nicky Murphy was joined by Courier advertising sales specialist, Jenny Brown, on a stall promoting opportunities in the newspaper and media industry, at the event in Campbeltown last Thursday.
A number of business people at the fair spoke out about the proposed 54 redundancies at CS Wind.
One person, who preferred not to give their name, said: ‘Last year we lost eight young employees, all at once, who joined CS Wind as it was promoted as such a good opportunity.
‘Some of them face being out of work in less than a year and will be searching for jobs.’
During the fair the Courier spoke to some of the people seeking work and stall holders with jobs on offer. Here is what they had to say:
Peter Sanders, 21 and his mum Susan Sanders came to the fair to see what was on offer. For the past two-anda-half years Peter has worked at the Argyll Hotel in Bellochantuy. He has now left and is very keen to find an apprenticeship as an electrician.
Mrs Sanders said: ‘I have six boys but am quite old fashioned and have told my sons that they must move to a job from a job. They do not claim benefits. Peter gained a lot of people skills at the hotel which is something teenagers do not really have when they come out of school.’ Peter added: ‘I really want to be an electrian and have applied to Archie Houston for an apprenticeship.
‘I thought of CS Wind but they are not recruiting.’
Occupational therapy assistant Hannah McManus, 28, and senior community nurse Fiona Brodie, 37 both represented NHS Highland and talked about the health sector.
Fiona said: ‘I was born in Kintyre but left in 1997 and was trained in Glasgow. I returned because I wanted to live by the sea and enjoy a rural life which is not possible in the big city.’
Hannah came to Campbeltown Grammar school aged 12. She said: ‘I began working part-time in Bengullion ward aged 16 and have worked on from there. I am currently studying for an HNC in occupational therapy.’
HR manager Linda McAulay and Julie Jordan represented Springbank Distillery. Linda said: ‘Five years ago Springbank had 41 employees from next week we will have 71.
‘This is mainly due to demand in the market for the products Springbank offers and the customer service.
‘For some jobs there are specific requirements but we will always consider young people who can be trained from scratch. The real skill is finding the employees who are keepers.’
The team from Kintyre Youth Enquiry Service (KYES) based in Main Street attended the jobs fair to promote their Friday morning Job Club which runs from 10am to noon and includes free tea/ coffee and rolls.
Pictured are: Lesley Renton, Phil Edwards and Max Burn.
Schoolfriends, Mark McGrory, 16, Millie Henderson, 17, and Eilidh Bell, 16 visited the jobs fair to ask about part-time work.
Millie said: ‘I work Saturdays at McIlchere & Son bakers. When I leave school I would like to go into childcare.’
Although he has not started driving yet, Mark, said that he is keen to eventually train as a driving examiner.
Eilidh, who already does some make-up work for weddings, said that she would like to work in beauty and make-up.
Lorna Anderson and Kate Bradley from Tesco were promoting the first two full-time vacancies, for a grocery and a service managers, which Campbeltown has had for a number of years. There are already some applicants and Lorna said that people who join as general assistants are always told that it is possible to move upwards.
Former aircraft interior fitter Donald McArthur, 58, who claims universal credit, stopped by the Tesco stall.