Ontario Northland travelling across northeast to hire skilled workers

Ontario Northland is looking to hire another 60 skilled labourers from across the northeast.

Representatives from the company are driving to different cities this month to accept resumes and pre-screen potential candidates. They will be in Sudbury today at the bus depot on the Kingsway.

Rebecca McGlynn is the director of marketing and communications for the company. She says they're looking for skilled labourers to work in the re-manufacturing and repair shop in North Bay.

"The phone keeps on ringing and we've got a lot of work," says McGlynn.

"We have to gear up for a contract coming in this fall, and so we're looking for largely production workers who can come in August and September and get to work. "

Travelling to find job hopefuls

Much of the company's workforce is retiring over the next few years, while the demand for services is growing. The company hired 80 production workers in 2016, but 31 of those people have moved into other positions.

McGlynn says more than 600 applicants came to their job fair in North Bay last week. Ontario Northland also plans to hold a job fair in Timmins on Thursday.

"For positions like electrician, metal fabricator, sometimes it's difficult to find those skilled trades," says McGlynn.

"We thought it'd be beneficial to reach out and see what kind of skilled labour is in both cities."

All openings are full-time positions. Hopefuls can bring their resumes to the job fair. McGlynn says interviews will be held the last week of July, with the new workers starting in mid August.