J.D. Irving looks to hire more than 10K throughout North America, mostly in Maritimes

J.D. Irving has released some aggressive numbers as it projects its hiring needs over the next three years.

It’s looking to hire more than 10,400 people with students included.

According to Irving, 1,700 positions will be new jobs after retirements and attrition are accounted for.

“We’re looking for people in IT, in finance, in supply chain as well as retail.”

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Almost 70 per cent of the jobs are needed in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia alone. According to the company, 5,100 will be located in New Brunswick and 2,100 in Nova Scotia.

Of the more than 5,000 New Brunswick jobs, 2,000 of those will be in Saint John which will require a combination of efforts in the short term.

Andrew Chaisson is a fresh member of the workforce at Irving’s Pulp and Paper mill in west Saint John, N.B.

The nine-month employee is also fresh out of school at U.N.B.

“There are always multiple reasons why someone chooses to go to school,” said Chaisson. “Mine was I wanted to get a job. I was lucky enough to get co-op work experience here at this mill specifically.”

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Bringing workers home and keeping workers home cannot be discounted, especially for those with families.

“We would have had to make some serious changes if I would have had to move out of the province,” said Andrew Fowler, a mechanical technician apprentice at Irving Pulp and Paper.

Along with the available positions in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, J.D. Irving has positions to fill in P.E.I., Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, B.C., along with more than 1,000 jobs in the U.S.