We just can’t get the staff!

IN the spotlight: Aidan Towey’s plea for skilled workers is filmed for TV

Business exasperated over unfilled jobs
AN Oldham business hasn’t been able to find more than 20 new staff — despite 2.6 million people being unemployed around the country.

Innovative Technology, which employs 80 staff at its high-tech facility in Derker Street, Derker, has vacancies for design and software engineers and a range of other skilled posts — including a patents administrative position.

The international manufacturing company is desperately looking to fill the posts to expand — but several advertisements have proved fruitless.

“We can’t fill these jobs, we have tried just about everything,” said manager director Aidan Towey, who’s plea made headlines when a television crew descended on the factory.

The company’s plight was revealed on the day new unemployment figures revealed 2.6 million out of work in the quarter to March.

The business, founded in 1992 by Oldham entrepreneur David Bellis, manufactures banknote validators for a host of industries, from vending machine manufacturing to slot machines.

In a short period the company has become the sixth-largest manufacturer in its specialised field, exporting to more than 80 countries on four continents.

“We need these people to keep pace with demand and to grow the business. These are solid positions with a solid business and we have excellent remuneration packages,” said Mr Towey.

“Given the unemployment situation, we just cannot understand why these posts are proving so difficult to fill.”




LATEST unemployment rates for Oldham have revealed the number of people out of work last month fell by 162, the second successive monthly fall.



There are 7,965 jobless Oldhamers — 5,402 are men, down 133 on March — and 2,592 women, a drop of 25.

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams said young people desperately need action on jobs.

She added: “Complacent ministers simply aren’t doing enough to get people off benefits and into work.

“Ministers should stop tinkering around the edges and bring in Labour’s plan, which would use a tax on bankers’ bonuses to get 110,000 young people across the country into work, into real jobs they would be required to take.”

Nationally, unemployment figures show the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance last month was down by 13,700 to 1.59 million.





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