It’s no secret that as a contract manufacturer with a core competency in sheet metal fabrication Keltech have traditionally operated in a male-dominated industry. But recently, this is becoming an outdated and inaccurate stereotype.

Ann Maire Hughes, Keltech HR Manager “12 months ago Keltech took the decision to reposition our recruitment strategy, the focus “inclusivity”. A cursory walk through the factory floor highlighted the disproportionate gender imbalance that existed here. That was nobody’s fault, I think its more of an industry thing and the mis-perception of what we do here.

Appealing to a male only demographic simply wasn’t an option anymore. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) the number of people currently employed in Ireland is at an all time high. It’s a fiercely competitive market out there and we need to attract the best talent regardless of gender, race, sexuality, religious believes and so on..»

Ann Marie and the team created a recruitment campaign which was rolled out across all Keltech social media platforms. Impactful imagery and slogans were deployed to highlight that opportunities existed within Keltech for people from all backgrounds. The results were instant as a strong pipeline of CV’s began to fill the inbox.

The New Normal «Joanna Wozniak».

Having seen Keltech’s recruitment campaign Joanna Wozniak was intrigued and applied for the postion of General Operative in late 2021.

Now just 6 months after joining Keltech Joanna has been promoted into the position of team leader of our Telecoms Cabinet cell. This is the first time in the company’s history that a female has held such a position in production.

What makes the appointment even more interesting is Joanna’s background. Originally from Bydgoszcz Poland Joanna arrived in Ireland 5 years ago. “My passion is cooking, I love to bake, most of my jobs up to this point including when I arrived in Ireland have been in the food industry”

With no experience whatsoever in manufacturing Joanna was hesitant at first. “ I didn’t know should I even take the job, this was like nothing I have ever tried before. I pushed outside my comfort zone, and I went for it, the best thing I ever did!”

Joanna was assigned to the final assembly area. “My first impression was how helpful and friendly the staff were. I had never operated power tools but after a short time I was safely and efficiently assembling parts. It was really satisfying to assemble these parts into the finished product for our customers.”

Quickly Joanna was recognised as a hard worker with a keen eye for detail and someone who was popular amongst her peers. Joanna’s development coincided with the integration of a new product line at Keltech: Junction boxes/cabinets for the Telecommunications market. A new manufacturing cell was created that assembles hundreds of cabinets a week. Joanna a now proven performer in the assembly section was the natural choice to lead this new cell.

Now well established as a Team Leader Joanna says “ I’m loving it here at Keltech; I never imagined myself working in a manufacturing environment but its been such a rewarding experience. My advice is push your boundaries and have a go, that’s what I did and I couldn’t be happier”.

Enjoyed reading this post or want to find out more? Contact me on seamus.lawlor@keltech.ie or 00353864681333