Toyota seeks more Altona assembly line workers

TOYOTA has put out a call for workers keen to come and help it build cars – only problem is, you’ll definitely be out of a job come October 3.

An ad on specialist recruitment website Randstad has announced “multiple job openings” have popped up at the Toyota's Altona-based engine casting plant and Camry and Aurion assembly line, with workers needed to plug a growing number of gaps.

“Our client has multiple positions for individuals to work in the various roles of a well-established car production plant on day shift 7am - 3.30pm and afternoon shift 5.30pm to 2am Monday to Friday,” the job ad reads.

“This is an exciting opportunity to work in one of Australia's leading manufacturing organisations and experience the thrill of being involved with the making of a quality and well-regarded product.”

Workers will be required to start in April, but finish up “in early October”.

“You will be offered training and support, rostered days off, leave loading, on-site parking and canteen facilities,” the ad says.

Randstad industrial branch manager George Bujukovski told Wheels the roles would be especially suited to former Ford and Holden workers.

“It’ll be multiple roles, 20-plus,” Bujukovski said. “It is expected [that Toyota would need to employ more workers] because people will be finishing up as it gets closer to the October closure date, so obviously they will need to be replaced with other people so we can continue production.”

“It’s unknown how many people will be leaving between now and closure, so it could possibly be more than that.”

Toyota Australia spokeswoman Beck Angel said the contract workers would also provide an important role back-filling for Toyota's permanent workers who were busy finding new jobs.

"If they have an interview or some skills training, it's not like an office job where they can leave the office for the afternoon," she said. "This will help them do that."

The temporary workers, who would need to plug the gaps across Toyota’s engine casting plant, paint shop and assembly line, would be getting similar pay and conditions to other workers, he said.

The advertised role also hints that Toyota will be running two production shifts a day right up until the last car comes off the line.

Toyota announced earlier this month that October 3 would be its last day of Australian manufacturing, resulting in the loss of about 2400 jobs.

The Japanese car maker, which has built cars in Australia since 1963, was the last to fall after Ford, and then Holden, announced late in in 2013 they would both pull out of Australian manufacturing.