Careers at JCB: Lisa's story

By Daibhid MacCann, Senior Marketing Executive

​Lisa joined the JCB CABS factory as an agency worker through Guidant Global having taken a career change from the hospitality sector. With work in the hospitality field drying up during the pandemic, she looked at alternative employment opportunities and discovered the chance to start a new career with JCB. She shares her experience with us so far:

From hospitality to harnesses
“I’ve been working as an agency worker at JCB for around 11 weeks now and it’s certainly been a really interesting time. I initially joined fitting harnesses but my background in hospitality meant I was used to moving around a lot rather than staying on a production line so I wanted to see what else I could do to get up and around. I ended up moving into the materials shortage team which was perfect for me as it means I’m constantly on the move.

“I’m working towards a more permanent position at JCB but being agency side has got me that first foot in the door. The role offers good pay rates and you get regular breaks during the scheduled shutdowns which certainly has its appeal!

“The shift options are also beneficial when it comes to fitting things in around your personal life. There’s lots of different shift patterns available – if you’re on an early you can be done by 3pm so you can get home and have a bit more of an evening.”

An unexpected but exciting path
“I had no prior experience of a factory setting like this so I wasn’t sure what to expect. There’s definitely a perception that this is a bit of a ‘mans-world’ but it’s really not. We’ve got a lot of females working in the CABS team and there’s never a sense that any job is for a man – it’s all very equal and there’s training available across different departments, from fabrication to the paint plant.

“While Covid slightly forced my hand, I’d say to anyone looking at making a career move to just go for it – the world is your oyster and sometimes the opportunity to try something different can take you down a new and exciting path.”

While shift patterns are varied, JCB is currently offering a split shift pattern for all unskilled Production Operative roles in Rocester only, with times varying from 7am-12pm to 12pm-5pm. Welders and CNC Machinists are also currently being offered a permanent contract from day one of employment.

 If you’re interested in working for JCB apply today here