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Product category: Printing Substrates - Paper, Forms and Stationery
News Release from: M-real
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial Team on 03 January 2007

M-real's Sittingbourne Workers' Good Job
Prospects

Employees facing redundancy from M-real's Sittingbourne Mill in the UK when it closes at the end of January have a relatively high value in the jobs marketplace.

Employees facing redundancy from M-real's Sittingbourne Mill in the UK when it closes at the end of January have a relatively high value in the jobs marketplace and have plenty to offer local employers That is according to JLT Career Management, the local outplacement consultancy brought in by M-real following last month's announcement of the mill's closure, which is scheduled tol cease production by January 31

M-real said that JLT is calling for local employers to contact it at Sittingbourne Mill if they have vacancies to be filled immediately, or in coming months and to meet staff at the mill.

M-real said that it wants to give as much support as possible to its staff, many of whom have long service records with little experience of changing companies.

The company has asked JLT to provide a coaching service to help everyone move forward as successfully as possible, whilst liaising closely with the council and local authorities regarding training and financial support.

As well as working with staff individually, JLT has also established a job club within the mill.

Judith Towning, managing director of JLT, said: "The mill has a highly skilled workforce, from a variety of disciplines.

They have experience of working with state-of-the-art equipment and have a lot to offer.

We always try to maximise take up rates through being accessible and treating everyone as individuals." She added: "Interest in the scheme from employees is fantastic - around 96 per cent are actively working with us, whereas an average take up might be around 50 per cent in other instances.

I believe this reflects the strong motivation of the workforce, as well as the encouragement given by M-real's management.

I am confident we will be able to help the majority of employees move forward more positively through the next few weeks." M-real is funding the outplacement programme, which will continue until all staff have left the mill.

The aim of the support is to help employees decide what they want to do next, which might include self-employment, an opportunity to switch careers or retrain, rather than rushing in to the first vacancy.

Advice is given on networking, CV preparation, interview techniques and one-to-one coaching.

Access to information on jobs, companies and training is all provided in the job club, added M-real.

JLT has six consultants working at M-real for the project's duration.

Judith Towning continued: "We see it as a door opening, rather than shutting.

We aim to make a difference by building people's confidence and self-belief and help them plan their futures." Based in East Sussex, JLT Career Management was established seven years ago to specialise in outplacement and career coaching.

It claimed to be a specialist in the paper industry but also works with other clients, including Kvaerner and Eon.

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