Hauts-de-France agri-food sector hiring and employment, Digi Mart USA News (Hauts-de-France, France): The agri-food industry in the Hauts-de-France region is holding a full week of events to recruit workers, as companies seek both seasonal staff and longer-term employees. The sector is described as a major contributor to the regional economy.
The industry employs 15,000 people in Picardie and organizes a week dedicated to employment to fill positions needed during seasonal peaks or on a more lasting basis. Demand for workers is high, and so is the number of candidates.
At a job dating event in Abbeville on Tuesday, more than 100 people submitted their resumes to three large companies in the sector: Pasquier in Vron, Lactinov in Abbeville and Bigard in Flixecourt. Applicants came from a wide range of backgrounds, according to Arnaud Normand, production manager at the Babydrink plant in Abbeville, who said the company is seeking 25 to 30 employees for a new production line due to start in 2027.
Many candidates are in their fifties. Fatima, who spent a career in retail and has been out of work since April, said she saw that the agri-food sector was growing and had needs, and hoped to find a job.
Applicants submitted their applications and held brief interviews with recruiters, including Coralie Dufrien, human resources project manager at the Pasquier group. The Vron plant in the Somme employs 350 people and is looking for about 30 more for a production period for galettes des rois, which begins in two weeks and will last about six weeks.
These hires will be on fixed-term contracts, though the group said it offers training and longer-term employment prospects.
Data compiled by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) for the Hauts-de-France region were also presented, outlining the weight of industry in the regional economy.
