Despite offering competitive wages, flexible hours and career pathways, food processing company Talley’s Group still has 200 shellfish vacancies at its Blenheim mussel factory, and 10 in Havelock.
Talley’s general manager aquaculture Don Boote said the issue wasn’t finding the right candidate, but finding enough of them.
“There is a lot of competition in Marlborough for primary sector jobs, with severe staff shortages around the region, made worse since Covid hit in 2020.
“This regional shortage of food production workers is definitely being felt by Talley’s, despite paying the highest piece rate in the area for mussel openers and offering flexible hours.”
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“To help encourage new staff, the company offers all year round jobs at its mussel plants.
“This isn’t typically easy in the mussel industry, but Talley’s does this by having mussels growing in areas all over New Zealand, so it can keep the supply going 12 months of the year,” Boote said.
The company had significantly increased its recruitment advertising nationwide, and had streamlined its online recruitment processes, to make applying for jobs easier for people.
Talley’s Group was also looking into being able to provide accommodation for workers, to reduce that as a barrier to coming to Marlborough to work.
The Marlborough Regional Skills Leadership Group (RSLG), set up by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to address regional skills and workforce needs, last week released its first workforce plan.
The group worked with the Marlborough District Council to engage with more than 200 stakeholders, and focused on five key sectors; aged care, aquaculture, aviation, building and construction and the wine industry.
Group co-chair and Rangitāne o Wairau general manager Corey Hebberd said issues around recruitment at all skill levels were not new for Marlborough, but had been exacerbated over the past couple of years.
“It is as hard to hire a doctor than [it is] a manufacturer,” Hebberd said.
“We have one of the oldest populations in the country, we currently have a very low unemployment rate and many of our young people leave the region once they finish school to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
“We do not train many of our skilled people locally. This means that we need to attract people with the right skills to Marlborough, whilst needing to develop training opportunities locally.”
Hebberd said primary sector and associated manufacturing had perception issues which made it hard to attract workers.
“There are many opportunities and career pathways within … our primary sectors, so it’s about making our people, in addition to skilled people elsewhere, aware of the opportunities, and making them accessible,” he said.
By 2038, the number of filled jobs in Marlborough was expected to increase by 25 per cent.
Clearview cleaner co-owner Christian Fletcher-Firks used to advertise jobs on the company’s Facebook page and get successful applicants within a couple of weeks.
But when one of his five full-time employees left in December, it took him six months to find a replacement.
“There was just nobody around, so we did struggle.
“The market has changed, and it’s hard to find new staff members.”
Fletcher-Firks used the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) free recruitment service to find people, and hired someone in June.
The ministry also provided a number of services, from advertising an employer’s vacancy to short-listing candidates and extra support through a range of training and employment assistance, including a wage contribution to help training new employees.
“It does take them [candidates] a while to learn the job, and that flexi-wage takes the pressure off of them, trying to earn money for the business, and getting your return on your investment into them.
“It just takes that pressure off of them and off the company.
“They also give some money towards training, that means that they [employees] can see the next steps within the company.”
If you’re looking for staff, phone MSD’s Employer Services team 0800 778 008, or look online www.workandincome.govt.nz/employers
If you’re looking for a job, phone 0800 779 009 or visit your nearest MSD office, or look online: www.workandincome.govt.nz/work
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