Mums and dads are being invited with their children to go on a tour of a top bakery that\u2019s launched a campaign to recruit 16 and 17 year old school leavers.<\/p>\n
The award-winning Wrexham-based Jones Village Bakery has a range of jobs on offer including 20 apprenticeships \u2013 and the promise of adult Real Living Wage pay rates from the word go, starting at \u00a39.50 an hour.<\/p>\n
In recent years, the family firm has concentrated on recruiting young people aged over the age of 18 but says it\u2019s been missing a trick.<\/p>\n
Now the bakery is going back to the future to recruit younger workers straight from school and offering them \u201cfantastic prospects\u201d.<\/p>\n
The company has traditionally had a grow-your-own policy and most of its bakery managers and supervisors joined as school leavers and climbed the career ladder.<\/p>\n
Also on offer are 9am to 5pm weekday shifts as well as weekend roles for students, with family friendly shifts also available.<\/p>\n
According to the company, a job with the Jones Village Bakery was a debt-free option to university with great career prospects for the right candidates.<\/p>\n
HR manager Jason Page said: \u201cWe have great career opportunities and we are at least a Real Living Wage employer.<\/p>\n
\u201cYounger people joining us -that\u2019s 16-17 year olds – start at \u00a39.50 an hour rather than rather than the \u00a34.60 provided by the National Minimum Wage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the recent starters at the Jones Village Bakery is Tilly Squire,16, from Wrexham, who\u2019s been working the packing department for the past month.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWhat I like about working here is that we are paid the Real Living Wage and not the minimum wage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m one of the youngest but everyone\u2019s really friendly and that\u2019s important because I wouldn\u2019t want to work with them if they weren\u2019t nice.<\/p>\n
\u201cI work Monday to Friday so I still get the weekends of so I can still see my friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to progress and become a line supervisor or move up to be a manager.\u201d<\/p>\n
Workmate Tia Roberts, 17, from Wrexham, says she is settling in well, alongside Tilly as part of the packing team.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cThe Village Bakery don\u2019t discriminate against young people \u2013 everyone doing the same job is on the same pay. That\u2019s important because they are show respect to young people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this year the Jones Village Bakery opened a brand new flagship bakery on Wrexham Industrial Estate.<\/p>\n
The 140,000 sq ft facility has been hailed as the most modern in Europe and includes a state-of-the-art Baking Academy to train the next generation of bakers.<\/p>\n
Managing director Robin Jones said: \u201cWe are a growing company and there are lot so exciting times ahead so, essentially, we\u2019re going back to basics in terms of recruitment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking to take on young people straight from school as we did with Tom Breeze and Jack Davies who joined as young lads and are now bakery managers.<\/p>\n
\u201cJack is running Europe\u2019s most modern gluten free bakery and Tom is in charge of our family jewels, our bakery in Minera.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur grow-your-own policy has been the foundation of our success – there are some great kids out there and I want to really push a vocational route.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re a 16 year old who wants to work, we\u2019re going to give you \u00a39.50 an hour rather than the \u00a34.50 an hour you\u2019d get for working at a fast food restaurant.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expect people to work hard but for that we pay young people a proper adult wage.<\/p>\n
\u201cJoining the Village Bakery straight from school is as realistic option to university by taking the vocational route.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmong the pluses is that you\u2019re not saddled with tens of thousands of pounds of debt when you complete your degree.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re on a decent wage from the word go and the opportunities for progression up the career ladder are endless.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want a degree, you can still do that by going to night school \u2013 so we\u2019re a good choice whichever way you look at things.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would invite mums and dads to come and have a look with them to see what we\u2019re all about.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not about working long hours and early mornings any more. We have the most advanced manufacturing equipment in Europe and an air-conditioned bakery.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking alongside Coleg Cambria, we provide excellent training with the opportunity to gain NVQs.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t need to go to university to have a great career and Jack and Tom are both evidence of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy message to young people looking for a good future is that there are fantastic career prospects here and they will be treated with respect.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it\u2019s hard work but they can earn plenty of dough at the Village Bakery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anybody wanting more details should email the Jones Village Bakery at <\/strong>recruitment@villagebakery.co.uk<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Caption: Pictured are Tilly Squire and Tia Roberts with Jason Page, Human Resources Manager, and Robin Jones, Managing Director at Jones Village Bakery.<\/p>\n