Nestlé recruitment drive

10:41am Thursday 24th April 2008

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A RECRUITMENT drive has been launched by Nestlé in York, with job opportunities available across the factory.

The Wigginton Road confectioner says it wants to hear from dedicated people who have "what it takes to help us achieve our potential" as the factory undergoes the most radical change in its history.

"In a growing business, we need people with the right skills and attitude to ensure we become the most effective and efficient factory in the Nestlé family," it said in a jobs advert published in The Press.

It said it was looking for operators, who could earn between £17,000 and £20,000, and line operators, with potential earnings of between £20,000 and £24,000.

It was also recruiting process operators, who could earn between £24,000 and £28,000, and line technicians, able to earn between £27,000 and £32,000.

New employees were also being offered "generous holidays," a final salary pension and a bonus based on performance.

But the company said that candidates should have a strong appreciation of health and safety, quality targets and good manufacturing practice, possess IT skills, and be numerically and mechanically competent.

The recruitment drive comes 19 months after Nestlé unveiled plans to make 645 workers redundant as part of the massive restructuring of the factory, some of whom have not yet left the factory.

The Press reported in February that the company was recruiting internally, with sources saying that 70 to 80 jobs were being created.

A company notice, passed to the newspaper, revealed that the posts had been identified following an ongoing review of business requirements in 2008 and beyond.

The notice revealed that preference would be given to permanent Nestlé employees, but opportunities might be available for agency staff employed by PMP. It did not say whether anyone from outside Nestlé might be recruited.

Nestlé was unavailable for comment yesterday, and neither was John Kirk, of the GMB union, who represents many factory workers. However, in February, he welcomed the recruitment of new staff by Nestlé as a "good thing," saying: "It shows they are growing."

He said that of the 645 redundancies announced in 2006, some people had gone while some were still working at the factory, adding: "It's a slow, ongoing process."