JCB had to let go about 1,500 people at its UK factories when the Covid pandemic took hold in spring 2020. But as market demand has returned, so have the jobs.
The company said that most new machines are now sold out until next year. “We have never seen anything like it” said chief executive Graeme Macdonald.
JCB’s shop floor work force has increased by more than 25% since March 2020.
It is now advertising for 500 new shop floor employees at its 11 plants in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham – on top of the 850 shop floor jobs already created so far in 2021.
It is also offering an additional 300 agency employees permanent JCB contracts – which will bring the total number of agency shop floor employees given permanent jobs this year to 1,000.
This is JCB’s second big recruitment drive of 2021, having previously held one at the start of the year.
Chief executive Graeme Macdonald said: “The recovery continues to gather momentum and we have tens of thousands of new machine orders sitting on our books stretching well into next year. We have never seen anything like this in the 75-year history of JCB. As well as earning a competitive salary with the opportunity for overtime and enhanced shift allowances, there is great potential for new recruits to progress to permanent roles with JCB.”
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