The large town of St. Austell, based on the south-west coast, is a popular settlement that benefits from Cornwall’s thriving tourism industry. Predictably, this influences much of the recruitment activities in the area, however, there are still a number of varied sectors that an agency will supply local job seekers for.
Local recruitment
St. Austell recruitment is largely focussed on tourism and related industries. This means that seasonality has an impact on the volume and type of jobs available. Tourists are drawn to the area by attractions such as the Eden Project and Wheal Martyn, and this in turn has an impact on the hospitality, food & drink and leisure sectors. Part-time and temporary jobs in St. Austell are therefore likely to be a common demand for recruitment agencies, especially in the peak summer months.
As in most towns, candidates will also find that retail vacancies are frequently advertised. Brands within the White River Place shopping centre will often be looking to hire staff, while independent businesses, such as gift, surf and craft shops, will likewise recruit from time to time. The latter are most commonly found in places such as Charlestown and Carlyon Bay.
Notable employers in the town
Historically, St. Austell was known for its quarrying after establishing itself as Cornwall’s prime destination for china clay. As recently as 2006, the industry employed more than 2,000 workers, but this has since halved. English China Clays, the principle clay company in the area, was bought by Imerys in 1999. The town is also recognised for its production of beer, more precisely, via the St. Austell Brewery. The brewery is more than 165 years old and has a workforce of around 1000 staff in total (including jobs in their pubs and hotels).