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Wilco Canada Recruiting 120 from Irish Landscape Industry
- 08 March 2012
Those of you who are regular readers of the Hortitrends newsletter will be well aware that a Recruitment drive for landscape work in Canada was mentioned a long time ago and has now come to happen. Multiple positions across the full scope of the landscape profession are offered.
About 120 positions are available with the application process being offered in Ireland for 3 weeks before being opened up to other countries. There are positions available for all abilities and experiences. All you have to do to get in on the act is to apply.
The Work:
We are seeking to fill approximately 120 positions across the field operations section of our business. They roughly break out into three areas:
A) Foremen: Opportunities in four disciplines- General Landscape ( a bit of everything) Hard landscape ( concrete paths, curbs and paving stone install) Earthworks/ underground ( excavations, soil placement and/or storm or sewer pipe work) and Maintenance ( looking after what we have done for the first 2 years after install) As foreman you will be the chief operator on each site responsible for getting the job done. You will be fully supported by a project manager and all the background staff to ensure that your only concern is doing the physical work. Contracts, payments, materials, equipment etc is all looked after for you. The right individual will start on smaller projects and work up to larger jobs as they grow into the position.
B) Operators: Heavy equipment operators especially required. Dozers, hoe (track machine or digger in Irish!) Rock truck (Articulated dumper) packers, rollers, scrapers, graders, water trucks etc. Seat time and experience are the most important qualifications. You need to note in your application how much of each you have. Irish tickets are not recognized but if you demonstrate your competence to the site foreman, they can certify you for that job site. Irish road truck licenses do not transfer so you would need to sit on the side lines for a month while waiting to re-test. Good news is that Canada really needs drivers. Skidsteer operator is a uniquely North American profession. Everybody has the basics but a truly great operator will amaze you. I have yet to see a foreign operator but there is always hope.
C) Labor: Landscape experience is preferred but a track record in physical work will be looked on in a favorable light. Be sure to note in your application the experience you have and the discipline you would prefer. These positions are especially suited to students of horticulture that are available from mid-May through to November.
For all positions please note: we do not differentiate between male and female applicants. The best person for the job gets the job! No quotas, no bias, no bull!
The Permits:
Anybody who has done the research knows that there is work for everybody who wants it in Western Canada, if you can get a permit. The opportunity we are presenting is both the easiest and the hardest to achieve.
It is the easiest in that we have all the leg work done. We have proved to the Canadian Government that we cannot find Canadians for the positions. We have been told the minimum that we can pay and it has to be above industry standard (we pay even more than minimum with a few very pleasant surprises thrown in). We cannot offer conditions less that that which a Canadian can expect. If we break the rules we loose our right to employ foreigners for two years which would cripple any business. The Canadian Government has your back! Do not worry about abuse of foreign workers. All you have to do is apply for a permit once you receive a job offer. This is a very minor and speedy process for those with the paperwork we have on offer. We will explain to successful applicants how to do this.
Our offer is also the hardest, hardest in that it is hard if not impossible to find a similar opportunity. Just try to find another employer who has the paperwork to get you into the country, is advertising in Ireland, is looking specifically for Irish staff and is willing to go to Ireland to do the interview. There is nobody else! The alternative is to try organizing it all yourself. That will take at least a year and will cost you thousands of euro.
The types of visa available to our potential employees are employer specific. You will only be allowed to work for us while you are here. If you qualify as a skilled worker (on the basis of job offered, past experience and education) you may apply for a skilled worker permit. This will allow a family to travel with the partner being allowed an open work permit (work anywhere, for anybody) Kids can also attend school. Seasonal work does not qualify for paperwork for accompanying family. While the job description says seasonal, if you are that good we will not let you go. We have work during the winter but only for the best!
The How :
The first thing you need to do is to update your resume. It is a resume not a CV. Search the web for help on how to write a resume. It presents and reads completely different to a CV. A resume is job specific. The potential employer has told you in the job description what they are looking for in the employee. Modify each resume to show that you have the skills, characteristics and experiences to fill (or rapidly grow into) the position advertised. Nobody will be a 100% perfect fit for the job from day one. Show us how you are adaptable and can fit the job. Sell yourself!
Remember it is the resume that will get you an interview. The interview will get you the job. Make sure your referees are listed fully, the contact details are current and valid and that the referees are willing to give good reference. It is acceptable to say that your current employer may not be contacted without your permission but previous employers should not require permission. (“References on request” = Translated into Canadian reads as “My references are useless and I hope you don’t ask for them””)
Next thing to do is to actually apply. Go to our website ( www.wilcosouthwest.ca ), complete the online application form. Fill out the online application form in full. This is the piece on information that is passed to our project managers. If the information on your application form is interesting enough then they will read your resume. (If you do not have a resume ready to upload at the time you make your initial application send it in afterwards to work@wilco.ca being sure to put your name as the first piece of information in the subject line. We will match it to your original application. )
The When:
Between now and the 20th of March we will be checking out references, filling in the blanks and deciding who to interview. We intend to make contact with interview candidates between 23-25th March. We aim to schedule regional interviews 26-30th March at locations around Ireland to suit the applicants.
Now you have as much information as you need to make an informed choice. Thousands of people at the RDS last week investigating emigration should translate into a lot of applications. But be warned. We have limited paperwork. News of the opportunity has spread. If your application is not received by 20th March you may be too late. If you are not in you cannot win. I know from experience that there is a wealth of willing, able and experienced people in Ireland looking for the opportunity of a lifetime. Well the time and opportunity is here. Do not miss it! Apply today!
