Employees afraid to get their hands dirty and leave for an easier time

Labour-intensive heavy industries, where workers have to get their hands dirty, are feeling the full force of the skills shortage most - none more so than meat processing.

Staff shortages at meat processing plants from Nenagh to Waterford are making it increasingly difficult for factories to meet rising demand and fill excess capacity in an industry dominated by seasonal peaks and troughs.

"It started three years ago," says human resources manager, Mr Michael O'Connor, at Kepak Meats. "There was a drain from all our factories.

"Staff would come in and do induction training and be in the industry for only two or three weeks, so that's what we had to tackle," he says. "People want easier work and that's the bottom line."

In an ironic twist, rising demand for Irish export beef is running hand in hand with a rising turnover in staff and a steady fall in the numbers of people willing to work in the industry. Faced with the problems of providing continuity of service, industry leaders are experimenting with a number of innovative recruitment and training practices.

Kepak has looked abroad to overcome the problem. Using Irish agents located in Poland, Brazil and Argentina, the company has recruited more than 130 foreign nationals so far.

"We decided to target the areas which were very skilled in meat producing. "We fly workers in at cost, feed them, find them accommodation and give them the same working conditions and wages as any Irish worker," explains Mr O'Connor. However, securing work permits for foreign workers can be a time-consuming and tricky business.

"There is an acceptance that we have a major skills shortage in Government but we always find bureaucracy. "They don't accept our bona fides willingly, we have to come back again and make our case," says Mr O'Connor.

"I have got to go through a huge paper trail and I have to continue reinforcing the case that I've already made.

"I think there has got to be an acceptance by Ireland Incorporated that industries like ours are not going to survive unless we can depend upon non-EU skilled nationals," he says.

To date, about 300 work permits have been granted by the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment in the agricultural sector. "A spokesman for the Department said work permits were typically processed in four weeks and there were few delays.

The chief executive of the Irish Meat Association, Mr John Smith, believes bringing people from abroad is one solution to the problem and should be facilitated, but he is concerned with a more permanent solution to the skills shortage.

"You have to make it a more attractive environment and set up a careers structure to encourage more recruits," he says.

"We approached FAS up to 10 years ago about organising a L school or training centre and now this is being looked at again," he says.

A steering committee recommended by the FAS food, drink and tobacco committee is currently investigating the area. Industry specialist in food safety at FAS, Mr Pat Moynihan, believes a standardised training structure is not the panacea for the labour shortage but would make the industry more attractive.