Moray seafood boss urges firms to hire ASN workers
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A MORAY seafood company boss has urged local businesses to consider taking on people with additional support needs (ASN).
Victor West, managing director of Associated Seafoods, parent organisation of Lossie Seafoods and Moray Seafoods, spoke at a DYW Moray event, A Job For Everybody, on the company's experience, the logistics and ultimately the advantages of recruiting people who may need extra support. He said he was pleased with the reception from the guests.
Mr West said: "It was a brilliant event. We had a small number of attendees but it’s a niche subject, and what that meant was that we had a room of people who were genuinely interested in learning more about employing people with additional support needs.
"It shouldn’t be something that people should struggle with or be worried about, but ultimately business owners can feel quite overwhelmed with legislation or changes they may need to make, hence why, with support of DYW Moray, we felt it appropriate to host the event."
Mr West, who sits on the board of DYW Moray, added: "Associated Seafoods employs a number of people with a range of different needs and requirements and we are very pleased to say that, for us, it has been a very positive experience.
"What we have found is that while we have had to make investments initially to ensure our workforce is catered for in the right way, by doing this we have found that our team dynamic has changed. It has created efficiency, builds community and through all that, the investment is realised."
The event was held at Moray College UHI with DYW Moray’s partner agency, Moray Council education department.
Sarah Baxter, manager for DYW Moray, which is a government-funded agency with the aim of bringing educators, young people and employers together, said: "A Job for Everybody is a national campaign and is all about raising awareness that there is a job for everybody, and young people shouldn’t feel restricted by perceived barriers or discrimination."
