More than 800 people applied for just 30 jobs at a Telford firm which had struggled to fill the posts for almost a year.

Managers at Unique Copiers, on the St Georges Road Industrial Estate, branded the jobless ‘too well off on the dole’ after only filling 10 of 40 vacancies in 11 months. But hundreds rushed to apply after bosses revealed in the Shropshire Star that they had 30 vacancies available.

The applications have continued rolling in, with the company now having filled 15 of the posts and still interviewing.

Managing director Adrian Casey, 44, said: “It has been a fantastic response. The applications have been coming in thick and fast. Over the last weekend, we had another 20.

“The uptake has been huge. We are getting there and it is quite exciting. Hats off to the Shropshire Star.”

The jobs, including sales and engineer posts, offer training and salaries from £12,500 to a possible £60,000.

Mr Casey said the firm needed to find four more sales people immediately.

“We will fill the sales manager’s job from the people we have already recruited within the next few months,” added Mr Casey.

He said the firm, which deals in photocopiers and printers, also had apprenticeships and clerical jobs to fill. We are trawling through clerical staff applications,” he added.

“The fact we haven’t filled all the jobs yet is by design.”

As the new starters begin, the firm will also continue to expand, with plans to open an office in Suffolk within three to six months.

Mr Casey said at one point he held six interviews a day for two weeks in order to find the right people.

“It is great. Collectively, we did another week and a half of interviews. It’s been manic, but it’s brilliant,” he said.

“Some people thought the article was a marketing ploy and wondered if genuine jobs were up for grabs but we are offering and we have taken people on.”

He said of the 10 sales people they had taken on, eight had been unemployed but had sales experience.

“We would sooner take on someone who wants to work and is looking for a career than someone who wants to job hop. We will do everything we can to help them and give them a prosperous career,” he added.

By Judith Sanders

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