Labour specialists have discussed the next stage for the industry as it looks to fill the gap left by the impending end of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS).
Terry Crosswell, farm services manager at Concordia, told FPJ the labour provider had been consulted on the issue and said it was “hopeful” of a positive solution to the problem.
Crosswell said: “SAWS is due to end at the end of 2010 and there are already talks about it being replaced by something smaller. Of course, there may be a change of government, which could change things, but it is important that we are consulted.
“We should be looking to promote our country and there is a lot of lobbying going on from the industry, but there is a recession on and a lot of unemployment.”
On the continuing issue of the pressures of recession on employment, Crosswell said: “We are talking to people from different groups to help explore ways we can help the unemployed. It is about providing young people with horticultural work experience and giving them the experience of a completely different sort of work, such as skills in harvesting, plant care and irrigation.”
Concordia has introduced its management and supervisory training programme and has seen a large amount of interest from Romanian and Bulgarian workers.
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