As Corgi is family-run company based in a small town in rural South West Wales, we like to do all we can to give back to the local community. That includes employing people from the local area to fulfil the various job roles involved in the day to day running of our factory.
Recently we were asked by Workways – an employment project backed by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government – if we could provide a temporary work taster to Joann Smith, a 38 year old lady from the area.
Image courtesy of Carmarthenshire County Council
Joann had never worked as she had spent the previous 19 years raising her family and providing round the clock care for her late husband. She lacked work experience and confidence, and had no qualifications or CV. However, she had shown an interest in working as a machinist.
We were more than happy to oblige and offered Joann a 2 week work taster at the factory. At the end of this taster period, our Director Chris was so pleased with Joann’s attitude and progress that he offered her a temporary role.
He said: “When Joann arrived, she was very nervous. All she wanted was a chance to show what she could do. She got on fine with what we were trying to teach her and as a result we were happy to offer her a temporary job”.
Over the course of her temporary contract, Joann learnt how to follow patterns and use the knitting machine. Because of her progress, Chris was pleased to be able to offer her a permanent position and Joann is now a fully-fledged member of the Corgi team.
To read more about Joann’s experience and how she has settled in at Corgi, visit the Carmarthenshire County Council website.
