Sunday 12 July 2009

Ikea claims to have recruited 70% of local applicants

IKEA, the world's largest home-furnishing retailer, has given jobs at its new Ballymun superstore to more than two out of three local applicants, according to figures provided by a local community group. The store is due to open on 27 July despite ongoing problems with the local road network.

Figures supplied by the Ballymun Regeneration group show that of 98 Ballymun residents who did interviews with the retailer, 69 were successful and offered positions with the firm, a 70% success rate for the Ballymun applicants.

Ikea worked closely with many partners in developing a pre-employment training programme to assist 30 long-term unemployed and lone parents to train for and apply for Ikea positions. "From those who did the training course, there were 24 successful candidates who will be starting work on 27 July after being out of work for more than a year," said the Ballymun spokesperson.

A spokesman for Ikea said it expected between up to 2.7 million visitors to the superstore in the first year, despite traffic problems as the M50 is still undergoing a major expansion and work on the Ballymun interchange is still undergoing construction.

Sunday Tribune

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