A new Saint John clothing manufacturer has landed a contract with a designer to make high-end women’s clothing, which could mean 130 jobs created over the next two years. On top of that many of the workers being hired are immigrants to Canada, including several who have been resettled from Syria over the past year.
Cirrus Garments was chosen from a dozen of other competitors across the country to manufacture the clothing for the designer, whose name cannot be released at this time. Albert’s Draperies, a long time Saint John business, was the only drapery outlet asked to submit a sample. Cirrus is located above the drapery retail store and owned by the same man, Mike Albert.
So far, 31 workers have been hired, with 29 to be added in the very near future and another 60 to 70 in year two of operation.
It’s a win-win for both sides, owner Mike Albert said, who knew Saint John’s newest residents from Syria were eager to find work.
“We were really hurrying to get this factory in place as fast as possible because we knew their employment needs were really urgent,” he said.
In order to prepare them for the workplace, the YMCA of Greater Saint John has been helping in the transition and teaching the language needed for certain jobs.
“Teaching the word for sewing machine, teaching the imperial system, teaching the metric system the English words for that,” said Angelique Simpson, the Y’s vice-president of newcomer and community connections.
Simpson reiterates how important finding a job is for them.
They’re chomping at the bit,” she said. “They just want to get out there into the workforce. Many of them are entrepreneurial – owned businesses and ran programs back at home.”
Albert said they also bring some skill to their current positions.
“They have a lot of basic sewing knowledge,” he said. “We have to elevate it to a production level, but it’s going well.”
The name of the garment designer will be announced in the new year.
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