Last chance for hospitality hires

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Employers are being urged to sign-up today, if they want to attend a States jobs fair for new hospitality recruits.

With more than a thousand pounds available from the States per employee for taking on one of the job seekers, 19 businesses have so far agreed to attend. Registration closes today for any others who may be interested. It's being organised by the Back To Work team at Social Security to give employers the chance to meet and interview potential new staff before the start of the tourism season.

Head of the Back to Work team, Sophie Le Sueur, said: “Whether they are looking for one or 30 staff, this is the best chance for an employer to meet selected candidates, conduct initial interviews, and make their recruitment process quicker and easier.

 “This is a great opportunity for us to match Jersey residents who want to work in hospitality with employers who want staff in the coming season.”

The actual event takes places on Thursday at Mimosa, and is called 'Hospitality Job Match'. It follows a training campaign to help equip local people with the skills they need to work in the industry.  

Employers will be able to claim the minimum wage for the first four weeks of employment, worth up to £1,129 per employee. The jobseekers they will meet are all locally-qualified candidates who have been invited by Back to Work following training, or having expressed an interest in working in hospitality.

A recent Chamber of Commerce survey suggested that 67% of businesses in the tourism sector thought tighter States controls on immigration would give them recruitment issues, and less than a quarter believed the stated limit of 325 people a year was actually achievable.

Meanwhile, full-time employment in the sector has called by 13% between 2001 and 2013.