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Hundreds of new jobs at Birkenhead’s Cammell Laird shipyard

UP TO 400 jobs could be created at Merseyside’s Cammell Laird shipyard over the next three years.

The Birkenhead company today urged unemployed skilled workers to get in touch if they want a job on the massive Royal Fleet Auxiliary contract, which is expected to be worth up to £180m over the next five years.

Chief executive John Syvret said the company passionately recognised the need for local, skilled labour to have the chance to secure work at the yard.

He said the names of skilled tradesmen who get in touch with the yard will be put forward to sub-contractors. The jobs will be linked with the huge RFA Fort Victoria vessel, which this week arrived in Birkenhead for a massive refit. Although the small print is still being finalised with the Ministry of Defence, the refitting of Victoria’s sister ship the Fort George was worth £18m.

It saw more than 250 staff employed over six months.

The ECHO recently revealed some jobs with Cammell Laird’s sub-contractors were not being advertised locally and were going to overseas workers.

But Mr Syvret, who started as a boiler-maker on the yard, said he was “passionate” about the yard’s role in boosting Birkenhead’s fortunes.

The town is one of the most deprived communities in England and has major unemployment issues.

Mr Syvret said the yard’s core workforce could swell to around 700 by 2012.

He said: “The community has a massive role to play, including the critical issue of growing the local skills base so we can use local labour.

“We want local people to work here who care and are passionate about the shipyard like the current workforce and previous generations.

“That is what Cammell Laird has been built on since the 1820s – being at the heart of the community.

“While the business is growing, the workforce will continue to fluctuate depending on demand, but we want to see local businesses benefiting from being in the supply chain so money is recycled with our community. Last year we invested £38m on Merseyside.

“Our aim is to keep that investment growing.”

Skilled local workers should send their CVs to Danny Hart, Head of HR, Cammell Laird, Campbeltown Road, Birkenhead CH41 9HP.

THE LIVERPOOL ECHO

Am I imagining things or did they take on a load of staff at the end of the summer and lay off a load earlier this year?

That's the way it goes in ship repair Softy, as a contract comes to an end and there's no more ships to repair, the workforce has to go. That's always been the way in ship repair.

The differnce now from the old style of ship repair is the trend to use a lot more subcontract labour. Which means its all a lot more cut throat.

Thanks guys.

They take on loads for tempory position's