SOME 4,000 people queued at the Ballymun Civic Centre in Dublin at the weekend to inquire about 280 entry-level jobs at the new Ikea furniture store, which opens in July.
A large number of third-level graduates were among the prospective employees from all parts of the country who were considering applying for the jobs, the majority of which have a starting wage of €9.40 per hour.
More than 200 people were already queuing outside the civic centre at 10am on Saturday when the first of the two open days began. The events, held from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and yesterday, were organised by the company solely to provide information on the available positions.
Applications for the jobs must be made online.
Ikea intends to employ 500 people at the Ballymun store, which will be its second in Ireland following the opening of Ikea Belfast in December 2007.
However, all its managerial and supervisory positions have now been filled and the 280 jobs now on offer are all what the company calls “co-worker” positions, human resources manager of the Dublin store Sharon Moran said.
“The co-worker positions are in logistics, that’s warehouse jobs, sales, check-out positions, food service, customer service.
“Apart from the forklift drivers we’re not looking for any qualifications, although some require experience, but all that will be clear when people apply online.”
Fás is running a six-week pre-employment course for 30 people living in Ballymun who will be guaranteed interviews with Ikea.
However, the majority of those at the open days were not living in the immediate vicinity of the new store. Martha Osiecka from Poland is a line supervisor with Dell in Limerick, but does not know how much longer her job will last.
Her husband Waldemar was let go from Dell last January, both are hoping for jobs with Ikea.
“We’d be happy to move to Dublin. Limerick is a black hole on the map for jobs, particularly for us.
“The atmosphere is very bad because Dell is moving to Poland, and because so many people in Limerick are losing jobs, we’re very low down the list even to get an interview,” she said.
Michael Mills, a 61-year-old stonemason, has been unable to find work for the last two years.
“I’d never been unemployed before so it came as a shock. I have been looking for jobs since but there is nothing in construction, so I’ve gone for caretaker jobs, maintenance, that sort of thing, but I think my age kicks in. Can’t say I blame them, when there are so many other people looking for jobs . . . Maybe Ikea will be different.”
Michael Harold, a forklift driver with more than 20 years experience, came to the open day yesterday to ask why he had already been turned down for a job with Ikea without an interview.
“I’ve been out of work since Christmas. I was looking at the video they have here on the job, and I could do it blindfolded, but I know of someone who got one of the jobs with one year’s experience. I just want them to tell me why.”
Jean McShane from Clondalkin, Dublin, had a job in clothing store Topshop but left it to start up a dog grooming business.
“I didn’t realise at the time, but I couldn’t have picked a worse time for that sort of business. I can’t get a job now, and I just need anything so I can get paid.”
The closing date for applications is next Friday.
