6:20pm Monday 15th January 2007
By Mark Casci
A leading recruitment company has set up a website to cater for the district's burgeoning Polish workforce.
Relay Recruitment has worked on the construction and promotion of the site which is the first of its kind to be set up for Polish workers in the Bradford district.
The site lists job vacancies and provides guidance on everything from employment law and housing to churches and Bradford's cultural landscape.
It is intended for both individuals planning to relocate and those already in the city.
With versions in all accession state languages, it also signposts support groups and offers networking opportunities and advice for specific problems.
The site is the brainchild of 27-year-old Adam Bialomyzy, who arrived in Bradford from Bialystok, near Warsaw, 15 months ago.
He said: "Poles and Eastern Europeans are now a key component of Bradford's workforce and the more they know about where they will live and work, the better it will be for host companies and the wider economy.
"We are also providing social cohesion and a sense of community for people who may be suffering from homesickness as they adjust to new jobs and new homes. Ultimately, we are giving them the encouragement needed to compete in a demanding labour market."
Trade Union Amicus has estimated that 7,500 Polish people are working in Bradford and 60 per cent of all Relay temporary placements are filled by Polish workers.
The company has supplied the site's information on employment law and regulatory requirements in areas such as health and safety, hygiene and food handling, as well as the welcome packs of Bradford's biggest employers.
Managing director, Steven Street said: "The local and national employment market is changing fast. Eastern European workers are bringing opportunities for companies - and real competition for homegrown workers.
"We are proud to be at the forefront of this vibrant, rapidly evolving environment - although, essentially, are only doing what we always have done; presenting employers with the best workers, while ensuring that our candidates are as happy and well-informed as possible."
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