by Rachael Fraser and Jenny Lingham-Doe
Thousands of job-hunters formed a queue stretching across the car park at the Solent Hotel in Whiteley today seeking advice and opportunities for recruitment.
The queue stretched back across the car park at the Solent Hotel in Whiteley
Counting down 60 days until the new Whiteley Shopping Centre opens in May, 22 retailers came prepared with questions for job-seekers, information packs and treats to help secure their future recruits.
Although 2,000 people pre-registered their attendance online, it is expected that up to 4,000 people could pass through the doors of the recruitment drive event. By lunchtime today (March 27) 2,000 people had visited the event.
With 1,000 jobs on the site, the competition for work is huge and it spurred recently made redundant Carol Bramley to be the first to queue up at 8am – two hours before it opened.
Since being made redundant as a sales rep from a toy store in January, the 55-year-old from West End, Southampton, who has years of experience in retail, has been applying for jobs daily, but so far with no luck.
“It’s very frustrating and it’s very disheartening,” she said. “This is good as it makes people feel a bit better. It lifts people up. There are jobs out there and with these retailers that are here it shows they’re interested in the locality.
“People are desperate for work. This is for 1,000 jobs so I thought there could be about 10 people going for each job – which is about 10,000 people – so if I would have to stand in a queue I’d rather stand for two hours at the beginning of the day than at the end.
Carol Bramley talks to Penny Fulker and Bev Sear at The Entertainer
“I was very surprised that nobody else was here then. It got busier about 9.30.”
People were invited into the event in stages and 600 people came through the doors within the first hour.
A range of people came with a mix of ages and experience, some donning suits to impress their prospective employers, which included the likes of Harvester – which had the most jobs to be taken up at 45 – as well as Schuh, The Entertainer, Starbucks, Tescos, Frankie and Benny’s and Topman and Topshop.
While 17-year-old South Downs College student Katy Brooker was after a chance to get her first part-time job, she said she was a little nervous but hopeful. On the other hand, Roger Torr, 62, was hoping to get a job and work with all ages to share his skills and experiences over the years as a chef in the Royal Navy and most recently at a bakery.
Mr Torr, of Lovage Road, Whiteley, said: “I was made redundant just before Christmas and at the age of 62 it was a bit of a blow. It came completely out of the blue where I woke up one morning, went to work as normal, then an hour later I was more or less out on the street.
“They said it was the economic climate. It was unfortunate. But this recruitment opportunity was just right for me. As long as I’m fit and healthy I’ll continue to work.”
Lauren Ellis, 22, from Swanwick said: “I have no expectations of what the day could bring, I’m just hoping for an opportunity. I definitely didn’t expect it to be so busy so early.”
Job-seekers packed into the recruitment event
Having been to recruitment days in the past Jonathan Grant from Horndean had an idea of what they involved and how to prepare. The 24-year-old said: “I’m a little bit nervous but I’m not getting my hopes up by having no expectations.
“I’ve only had previous experience in cleaning, but I don’t wish to carry on in that area of work. I’ve had previous work in retail, I wanted to gain more experience working with people so I did some volunteering.”
Whiteley Shopping Centre manager Neil Carter said: “It has been a really good day. I think there will be about 4,000 people through by the end of the day. We should be able to fill a lot of vacancies from this recruitment day.
“We want to work with the residents in the area because ideally we’d want them to live close to where they work.”
See more on Western Wards retailers expand to new Whiteley centre.
Plans have begun to be organised for five days of entertainment as part of the big launch at 11am on May 23, with music, a fashion show and other attractions.