Apple grower set to create 500 new seasonal jobs

A Kent-based fruit grower has revealed plans to ecruit 500 seasonal workers for the 2016 harvest, based largely in Medway and Swale, a recent news report in the local media has been able to find.

AC Goatham & Son said that the first batch of the full-time jobs will begin in May, when the thinning of fruit takes place in the orchards, through to picking in the orchards from August and then working in the packhouse through to May 2017.

The business is looking to recruit up to 100 thinners, 400 harvest crew and 55 packhouse workers.

AC Goatham & Son has 17 farms and 20 partner farms across Medway and Kent and grows one in 4.5 of the British apples sold in the UK and one in three conference pears, growing in total around 150 million apples each year.

Gayle Goatham, HR manager, said: "We have a significant number of seasonal, full time jobs available and we are looking for people with a variety of skills to join the team. Many people join over the summer months and stay on for as long as possible, moving from role to role.

"We are looking for people who are physically fit, flexible, as the teams work in shifts and will enjoy working both inside and outside, in all weather.

"This is hard work but financially rewarding and many people have gone on to other senior roles within the organisation, who started off as part of the picking or packing team several years ago."

Companies of all sizes that plan to expand their staff and further develop their business in a long-term, sustainable manner should also consider the implementation of very solid and reliable workforce management systems, and this is specifically where Time & Attendance South East can help.

We supply an extensive range of time and attendance and access control systems that are user-friendly, innovative and designed for the working environment. Our systems also offer a wide array of features, such as support for contactless smart cards (which would really come in handy in a busy, dusty construction environment), as well as optional finger print biometrics and mobile phone SIM card support.

If you’d like to find out more about the extensive workforce management solutions provided by Time & Attendance South East, just contact us, we’d be more than happy to answer every query you might have.