All posts by Laura Lewis

News

Welsh recruiter builds back from pandemic with new staff and surge in demand

A RECRUITER is building back from the pandemic and welcoming new staff to its award-winning team.

Shannon Jones and Nicole Owen have joined Bangor and Colwyn Bay-based Supertemps as resourcers.

The move comes after Candice Chartrand was unveiled as the driving force behind the group’s managerial and executive arm, S2 Recruitment.

Shannon, from Old Colwyn, and Anglesey-raised Nicole are both Welsh speakers and previously worked in finance, housing, and administration.

They are excited to join the organisation at a critical time for the industry.

“Our job is to identify candidates, build relationships and work alongside our colleagues to match the right person with the right vacancy,” said Shannon, 23, a former pupil at Ysgol y Creuddyn, Penrhyn Bay.

“There is so much demand out there in many different sectors – especially IT, engineering, haulage and hospitality – so it has been a very busy start to life at Supertemps for us but a great opportunity to help people at such an important time.”

Nicole, 25, who attended Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch, added: “The landscape is very much candidate-driven, notably in certain areas where there is a shortfall of skilled workers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors.

“Both Shannon and I love the interaction with people – which is largely online at present – and trying to offer as much guidance and support as we can.

“The whole team has made us feel really welcome and we are excited to see how our careers develop in the years ahead.”

Supertemps Business Manager Vicki Armstrong-Smith said the business has “refocused” after a challenging period in lockdown and is beginning to hold more face-to-face meetings and consultations after doing so virtually for the last 20 months.

“This is the busiest period I’ve ever experienced in my decade with the company, and every day brings new challenges,” said Vicki.

“And that’s not just on the temporary side; permanent vacancies have risen significantly, and confidence is growing, with the private sector in particular looking at their offering because of the competition for skilled staff, whether that be salaries, working conditions and more.”

She added: “Shannon and Nicole have hit the ground running and are a fantastic addition to the team. They are a breath of fresh air and reflect everything that’s positive about Supertemps – helping people when they need it most and supporting our partners in a wide range of industries across North Wales and beyond.”

For more information, visit www.supertemps.co.uk and follow @supertempsltd on social media.

News

Real Housewives star the new face of booming Welsh leisure business

A POPULAR reality TV star is the new ambassador for a North Wales Leisure Firm.

The Real Housewives of Cheshire (RHOC) favourite Ester Dee will represent the UK Leisure Living brand going forward.

Born in the Czech Republic, Ester says she is thrilled to be joining forces with the multi award-winning company, which has sites in Deeside, Mochdre and St Asaph.

The 35 year-old – a former Playboy playmate who also appeared on Celebrity Dinner Date and Celebrity Coach Trip – now lives in Deganwy with daughter Pearl and looks forward to working alongside Managing Director Gareth Jones and his 15 -strong team.

“UK Leisure Living is a fantastic business, at the forefront of products for the home and garden,” said Ester.

“I am really excited by their range of amazing items – and those which are coming soon – and as someone who now lives in North Wales feel proud to support a growing local company which plays such a big part in the community.

“We have lots of exciting things in store, so watch this space!”

Among the innovative lines to be introduced by UK Leisure Living is a collaboration with Swedish group Tylo – a pioneer in the production and global distribution of saunas, steam rooms and steam showers – and a brand new range of barbecue grills and garden furniture.

Gareth is also celebrating another award win, this time for Best Hot Tub and Leisure Company at the UK Enterprise Awards 2021.

He said: “We have had an incredible start to 2021 and are already ahead of last year’s sales, and last year was the best we’ve ever had.

“Next year we are moving our focus and will be positioning ourselves as the area’s leading outdoor leisure retailer, with products you won’t find anywhere else.”

Gareth added: “As we grow as an organisation, we want to keep raising our profile, so it is great to have Ester onboard.

“She is a dynamic, entrepreneurial person who is very popular, especially on social media channels including Instagram – where she has more 279,000 followers – and with viewers of The Real Housewives of Cheshire. She also shares our love for hot tubs, being an avid user herself.

“The partnership is a great fit, and we can’t wait to get started.”

Ester recently returned to RHOC for series 13 after announcing her departure last year.

An iconic figure on the ITVBe show, she has enjoyed a busy time since joining the cast in 2016, launching her own swimwear range – All About the Beach – and working with other notable brands including Rolls Royce and Nutri Body.

The UK Leisure Living group includes Carbon Zero Renewables, The Swim Spa Centre, Outdoor Kitchens North Wales and North West, Verandas North Wales and North West, Hot Tubs North Wales and Cheshire, and Saunas North Wales and Cheshire

For more information on UK Leisure Living, visit www.ukleisureliving.co.uk and follow @ukleisurelivinggroup on social media.

You can follow Ester on Instagram at @esterdee and Twitter at @dohnalovaester.

Care, Health

Jobs hub targeting unemployed to help meet crisis in social care sector

AN EMPLOYMENT and training service is targeting new candidates to help meet unprecedented demand for workers in the social care sector.

Conwy Employment Hub is holding virtual sessions that will introduce would-be recruits to roles within the industry, held over four days later this month.

In partnership with the Welsh Government and WeCare Wales, the Hub – which oversees the Communities for Work, Communities for Work Plus, and PaCE initiatives – is hoping to attract people who are currently NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

With the UK facing a care jobs crisis – Brexit and mandatory vaccinations are among the biggest issues facing health chiefs – there is a nationwide push to plug the gaps as soon as possible.

Libby Duo, Strategic Manager for Conwy Employment Service, said: “While the sector is facing a tough time due to various factors it is important to remember this is a rewarding and skilled profession which needs support more than ever before.

“The two-day ‘Introduction to Social Care’ events will be held online, making them more accessible, and will provide basic knowledge of what’s needed to apply for a job.

“Essential skills include being reliable and committed with a positive and friendly attitude, caring for others, and demonstrating adaptability.

“If successful the candidates will receive further training in-post and there are progression pathways – it’s a great opportunity.”

In the last month, there were reportedly more than 760 care vacancies on recruitment portals in Wales, and nationally the number of old people living with advanced dementia is expected to double over the next two decades.

There are more than 70 care homes in Conwy county – 19 of which are private – and 30 domiciliary agencies.

Conwy’s Head of Integrated Adult and Community services Claire Higgins says the time is now to reverse the trend and lay the foundations for a more sustainable social care industry.

“There are dozens of careers within adult social care alone and it is a rewarding profession,” she said.

“For the aforementioned reasons we are in dire need of more workers across the country, so our aim is to demonstrate the many benefits to a career in this arena.

“From a personal perspective, social care has offered me so many opportunities over the last 25 years, developed my skills via training and experience and helped me to the position I am in now.

“I started as a support worker at 19 years old and found there are so many avenues you can take because there are so many people with such a variety of needs and age groups that we care for and support in different ways – we hope people will join us to find out more.”

Last year, WeCare Wales launched a bilingual online platform developed by Social Care Wales in collaboration with a wide range of national and local organisations to help jobseekers improve their employability, and employers identify people most suited to working in social care roles.

Their aim is to attract more than 20,000 extra people to social care and childcare over the next decade.

Sue Evans, Chief Executive of Social Care Wales, said: “With so many people looking for work we wanted to provide something that could help potential applicants understand if care is right for them, and if so, help them stand out from the crowd.

“Applying for a role in social care is great and we need all the support we can get, but a high turnover of staff makes things particularly difficult – not only for employers who then need to find someone else, but also the people they support. We want to help give more of an insight into these important roles, and the new online learning resource helps us do that.”

The online Introduction to Social Care sessions will be held from 10am-3pm on September 21, 22, 29 and 30. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3DlzZD9 or call 01492 575578.

For more on WeCare Wales and opportunities in the social care sector, visit www.WeCare.wales