What do they do now?
Posted Oct 21, 2011 05:51:11 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
With the announcement that Maple Leaf Foods will be cutting over 1,500 jobs nation wide, 1,200 of those here in Kitchener, means that there will be many people looking for work.
The Maple Leaf plant closing in Hamilton will be putting about 200 people out of work, however there will be 670 jobs available when the new plant opens in Hamilton. However, that does not leave a lot of room for the 1,200 people with no work from Kitchener.
Joe Mancini is with the “Working Centre” and tells 570News trying to find a job will be a long process for people after the Courtland Ave. plant closes in 2014.
“You know a good chunk of them, probably more the fifty percent, will have to rethink what kind of work they want to get involved in and that becomes a long process, maybe six to twelve months.”
Mancini adds that Schneider’s is joining a long list of other plants that all saw the same fate here in the Region.
Nikki Sharpley is a branch manager at Manpower Waterloo Region and tells 570News that on a positive note, there is a lot of advanced warning of the plant closure, which gives (the) people affected – ample time to brush up on their interview skills and polish up their resume.
“It’s an opportunity for them to grow, to be able to be coached and interviewed, just adding to their overall experience and making them feel more confident and part of the economic growth.”
Mancini, who says many workers may have a hard time finding jobs can go to the “Working Centre”, who have the “Older Workers” program that can help.
Sharpley says Manpower has employed people in similar roles recently such as production and assembly.
