Retail chainstore Home Bargains is working with the Department of Employment and Learning to fill the 80 new vacancies created by its two new Northern Ireland outlets.
DEL’s Employment Service, through a network of 35 Jobs and Benefits offices and JobCentres, offers a range of services to the unemployed, job seekers or job changers, including assistance with training and help to find employment.
It also offers a range of vacancy services for employers including advertising, recruitment events, sifting applications and interview facilities.
The announcement was welcomed by DEL Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, who met recently with senior representatives of the company.
He said: “I welcome TJ Morris commitment to recruit 80 new employees through my department’s Employment Service. The primary aim of the public Employment Service is to prepare people for work and help individuals to acquire jobs – helping employers to fill vacancies, and improving the linkages between employment programmes and skills development.
“This approach has created employment opportunities for people in local communities. In the current economic climate it is vital that we do all we can to help people find jobs and progress in the labour market.”
Joe Morris, operations director at Home Bargains, said: “Home Bargains is committed to investing in Northern Ireland and rolling out ambitious expansion plans which will provide excellent employment opportunities for local people to work in a retail environment.”
Home Bargains is investing approximately £1million in two new Northern Ireland stores, which will open within the next three months. The retailer has already generated over 200 jobs with the opening of five stores across Northern Ireland. It is now opening an additional two stores in Belfast and Craigavon, bringing a further 80 jobs to local people.