Brian Fisher & Sons, a Norfolk firm specialising in quality sewn curtains and soft furnishings, is undergoing a massive expansion, which will see the creation of up to 100 new jobs in the area over the next 12 months.  

The company has teamed up with Jobcentre Plus, who has offered their support and expertise, as the company Directors formulate their plans to increase their workforce from 40 to 140 over the coming year.  

In addition to the new employees, Brian Fisher & Sons are looking to create up to 9 apprenticeship positions for the 16 to 17 age group; 5 curtain makers, 1 for upholstery, 1 for goods receiving and 2 administrative placements. They are also looking at filling production and administrative positions, including Warehouse Assistant, Administration & Data Clerk and Business Development Manager.

Karen Fysh, account manager at Jobcentre Plus in Kings Lynn, said:

 “We are committed to working with employers to help more people back into work and fill vital positions.

This activity with Brian Fisher and Sons is a great example of how working in partnership can benefit the employer and the local community.”

With such a massive recruitment task ahead of them, Brian Fisher & Sons, accompanied by Jobcentre Plus will begin the process by hosting an Open Day on Friday 12th February. The event will take place at The Apollo Club in Mendham Lane in Harleston, where hour long group sessions will be held from 9am, with the last session finishing at 4pm.

The venue will be divided into three zones, through which interested groups of applicants will be guided. In the first zone they will be welcomed to the Open Day by company Directors Paul and Stephen Fisher, who will give a brief outline of their company, its history and vision for the future. Applicants will then be guided to zone two, which is hosted by training company, EYS, who will provide an introduction to the bespoke pre-employment programme designed for Brian Fisher & Sons. By this time, prospective applicants will have a good idea of the nature of the company and what the job involves; if they wish to continue to pursue their application, they can proceed to Zone Three, where they will undergo a brief “suitability” interview. Successful applicants will subsequently return for a more in-depth one to one assessment interview with EYS at Jobcentre Plus in Diss. Throughout the day Jobcentre Plus staff will be on hand to answer any questions.

 It is hoped that a minimum of 25-30 trainees will then start the 6 week pre-employment skills training from the first week of March, in a specially created training facility the company are hiring for the new learners. As well as being taught the technical skills required to the exacting standards of the company, trainees will also benefit from soft skills training in areas such as Health and Safety, customer service and numeracy. Those who complete the training satisfactorily will move on to the Work Trial phase of this package. Initially this will be set up as a 30 day trial, which will allow potential employees the opportunity to consolidate the skills they have learned and determine whether they are suited for the job. To those applicants successful to this stage, a formal job offer will be made and they will be entered into an on-going buddy system, which will allow them to continue to build up their productivity levels with the close support of a mentor or buddy.

Brian Fisher, Company Founder, said:

“I am delighted that we have been able to keep production in Harleston and have such a positive impact on the local community. I never imagined when I founded the business 25 years ago that I would be seeing such developments and expansion – especially in a recession!”.

Brian Fisher & Sons and Jobcentre Plus are hoping for a great atmosphere at the Open Day, with a focus on positivity, despite the current economy, and the Directors are looking forward to meeting all the applicants in person.

Anybody wishing to attend the open day should contact Karen Scott at Jobcentre Plus (Diss) on 01379 614333 to be booked into one of the hourly sessions.