75 new jobs for Cork carers

Seventy-five carer jobs are to be created in Cork following an announcement last night by an Irish-based home care service. In a week of highs and lows on the Cork jobs front, with a €330 million planned investment announced by Kinsale pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly followed by the loss of 200 jobs at Blizzard Entertainment in Blackpool, Comfort Keepers has outlined the opening of two new offices and training centres with the creation of 545 new jobs in 15 counties.

The expansion at its Cork facility on the Model Farm Road is to begin within the next month with the immediate creation of three full-time managerial positions and 75 carer jobs.

"We are delighted that our focus on the provision of quality home care has led to the continued expansion of Comfort Keepers,” said managing director of Comfort Keepers Home Care, Bob Power. “It is also a huge boost of confidence for us as an Irish owned family run business to be able to create this level of employment nationwide over the next 12 months.

"Home care is a very personal type of care and we seek carers and management staff who have caring and empathetic instincts. These are the type of people who make great carers and help people remain independent and happy at home.”

Comfort Keepers marketing manager, Sue Cogan told the Cork News that the large scale job announcement was down to the "success" of the company. She added that as Comfort Keepers provide assistance to those seeking to live independent lives in the comfort of their own homes through carers, “money stays in the local economy”.

The company is now immediately seeking to recruit FETAC level 5 trained carers throughout the country in addition to care managers, HR administrators, qualified healthcare trainers and office coordinators who have experience of the sector.