Staff shortages are causing a major headache for South West firms as the easing of Covid restrictions and a thriving economy have led to a jobs boom.
Retail, hospitality, manufacturing and logistics have all been hit with the South West at the centre of the staycation boom leaving businesses competing for staff.
The number of people out of work in the South West is declining as Covid restrictions ease and the hospitality sector opens up.
New Government figures reveal the number of people unemployed in the region is at a near record low of 103,000 - down 11,000 on the quarter.
It means the number of people employed in the South West is at 2.7million, giving an employment rate of 77%, which is higher than the 海角视频 average of 74.8%.
And employers are taking on staff at a record rate, according to new data from NatWest.
The headline South West Business Activity Index – shows the rate of job creation accelerated at the fastest rate since data collection began in January 1997. A number of firms said rising customer demand was part of the reason for needing to recruit.
Here are nine big name businesses that are creating jobs right now
Aldi
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Aldi is looking to hire 60 colleagues in Bristol between now and Christmas.
It is recruiting staff of all levels of experience to fill roles at its stores across the region, with salaries of up to £47,00
This includes apprenticeships and part-time positions such as Store Assistant and Caretaker roles, all the way up to Store Manager.
Stores in Bristol where Aldi is looking to hire include Bedminster, Southmead and Fishponds.
The recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive in recent years, with the supermarket currently looking to fill thousands of roles across the 海角视频 before the end of the year.
Store Assistants at Aldi can earn up to £10.57 nationally, and £11.32 inside the M25, with the supermarket also paying for breaks. Other store roles available will include managerial positions, caretakers and cleaners, as well as store apprentices.
Cera
Among the 海角视频’s largest home care providers, Cera has announced the creation of 300 new jobs in Plymouth. The company, which provides home care for older people is recruiting in Plymouth for its branch based in Stoke.
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Cera is calling for applications with immediate effect, and is particularly keen to hear from individuals looking to transition into a new career in Care from sectors hardest-hit by the pandemic, and with transferable skills for care, such as retail, hospitality, cleaning and the wider gig economy.
The company is advertising through its website and confirmed that all roles will be permanent and full-time, with opportunities for training and development to support future progression for new joiners.
Cornish Seasalt
Cornish Sea Salt has seen record sales in the past 12 months, but with expansion to meet demand both in the 海角视频 and internationally, the Gweek-based firm is finding it increasingly hard to recruit staff
The Cornish Business saw 46% increase in sales across 海角视频 supermarkets in 2020 as well as continued growth in the large export sector to 33 countries worldwide. As a result, they’ve planned to increase production facilities by a third and invest further to support the growth of the business.
Managing Director Philip Tanswell said: “We’re going through a period of growth which is an exciting time for us as a business. With home-cooking at an all-time high as a continuing trend after lockdown, our Sea Salt is in high demand which is why we are expanding our production facilities.
“With 37 number of staff already working within the business across the two sites, we need more hands to help us with the expansion. We offer a great working environment with unbeatable views, competitive rates of pay and job security.
It is looking to expand the team by eight, including a full-time Salt Harvester and production operatives.
Dana Chudleigh
A Devon manufacturer of electric motors has grown its staff by 300% in just a year after being taken over by a global North American company.
Formerly known as Ashwoods Electric Motors, the Chudleigh-based business became part of the USA’s Dana Corporation, in 2020.
Since then, the Devon plant has played a key role by developing new electrified propulsion systems and supporting Dana’s global network which employs 38,000 people across 141 major facilities in 33 countries.
And it is on the lookout for staff in its production of state-of-the art motors.
The products produced in Chudleigh are used in a wide range of growing end markets from leisure vehicles to construction and material-handling equipment.
With more than 100 employees and 3,000sq m of floorspace at Dana’s Chudleigh facility, the team engineers, manufactures, and distributes electrification and energy-management solutions.
Dave Sweeney, plant manager, Dana TM4 Chudleigh, said: “Since Dana acquired the operations at Chudleigh, we have grown by 300% including an increase in support roles for design and mechanical engineers, planning specialists, and quality experts.”
“The exceptional career prospects on offer, our close ties with the local community, and a commitment to partnering with regional universities sends a clear message. We are building for the future."
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Giganet
The internet service provider is on a recruitment drive for more than 200 staff as it rolls out high-speed broadband across the South West.
It gas already begun work on its own full-fibre network in Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and West Sussex, where job creation will be concentrated, with more locations to follow, it said.
The business, which has an office near Fareham, Hampshire, revealed its accelerated growth plans following a £250m investment from its new owner Fern Trading, which has acquired Giganet's parent company M12 Solutions.
Giganet said the money would be used to help it offer high-speed full-fibre connectivity to more than two million homes and businesses in the 海角视频, and significantly increase its existing offering on CityFibre and Openreach fibre.
GWR
The train operator is looking for qualified train drivers for its talent pool based in Exeter.
It is advertising starting salaries of £54,111 rising to £60,124 after 12 months.
The firm is looking for staff that can work a variety of shifts and must live within an hour's travel of the depot.
It is among 42 vacancies in the South West by the first Group, the parent company of GWR.
Lush
The hand made cosmetics retailer is on a major recruitment drive as it steps up production ready for Christmas.
Lush Manufacturing is looking for around 110 seasonal staff - and that's on top of the 250 it has taken on already. Workers are needed for manufacturing and then digital fulfilment will come a little later in September and October.
The shifts that they are currently recruiting for are - "Twilights" - full-time, "Twilights" 20/25 or 30 hours/ Nightshift 30hrs. They also offer a limited number of day shifts and are based at the Poole 'Manufactory' in Dorset.
Old Mill
This firm of South West financial experts has a rolling recruitment policy with its latest intake of 15 staff due to come on board on September 6.
Since March 2020, 95 people have joined, which is a 34% increase on the same preceding period.
The firm’s most recent senior roles include senior VAT and tax advisers in June.
Ian Carlson, managing director at Old Mill said he is always keen to hear from good would-be employees.
He said that as a people business, the ongoing recruitment and development of great people is essential to Old Mill’s future success, but that they do not work to specific targets, instead holding onto talent when they see it.
“In contrast to some organisations, we don’t limit ourselves based on budgets – if we meet someone good, we will get them in.
“However, recruitment is just one element of being a great people business; retention of those people once they have joined is even more important and here, I like to think we are first-class. We offer ongoing training - including towards a variety of professional qualifications - great career development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including the ability to work flexibly and an extra day of holiday on your birthday.”
Emma Coleman, recruitment manager at Old Mill said the availability of candidates has been quite up and down, but that at the moment there is a bit of a skills shortage across the board.
She said: “At the start of the year, it was quite easy to recruit, but as we come out of restrictions, I think people are biding their time a bit, waiting to see what might happen before making any big career decisions, which is making it harder to recruit at more senior/experienced levels, but hopefully the market will start to open up a bit as we come out of the summer holidays.”
Pilgrim
The pork producer is set to create 100 jobs in South Gloucestershire after a surge in business in the last 12 months.
The food and farming company said it needed staff to support its operations in Westerleigh after a 50% rise in new business and the opening of its new department dedicated to supplying fresh pork joints.
The site at Oakleigh Green Farm supplies many of the 海角视频's major supermarkets and food service outlets with pork products, and currently employs more than 600 staff.
Roles on offer included skilled and unskilled jobs, including in the butchery, packaging departments and abattoir. The firm said successful applicants would be offered a full programme of training.
Yeo Valley
Yeo Valley Production is recruiting up to 70 posts across its five manufacturing and distribution sites in the west country.
The firm which started manufacturing yogurts over five decades ago says it is offering a range of permanent and summer only positions at Blagdon, Cannington, Crewkerne, Newton Abbot and its Highbridge Distribution Centre.
Britain’s third largest producer of yogurts says demand is high and they are on a recruitment drive.
Talent Manager Sam Ford said: “It’s fantastic that we can create significant employment opportunities for the local economy and support the community and area we love.”
Last year the family-owned dairy business placed a 20% share of Yeo Valley Production into an Employee Benefit Trust which means that everyone is eligible for an annual bonus, based on company performance.
Vacancies are being advertised on the firm's website and staff benefits include rates of between £10 - £13 per hour across 4 on 4 off shift patterns, pension with no employee deductions and life assurance.
Recently the firm’s original factory in Blagdon, featured in BBC Two’s Inside The Factory and saw presenter Gregg Wallace don a hair net and show viewers how to make yogurt, from milking the cows on the family farm to packaging up the pots for the supermarket shelves.
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