Expo lends helping hand for workers after JM Kelly collapse
DANIEL Frankel should have been celebrating the end of his first year as an apprentice.
Instead, he's looking for a new job in the wake of JM Kelly Group's collapse.
Mr Frankel was one of dozens of people who attended a jobs expo for workers affected by the company's closure.
The expo brought service providers like the Red Cross and Centrelink together with employment agencies to provide access to information in one place.
READ: JM Kelly had "cash flow difficulties" in months before collapse
Supported by his father, the 18-year-old apprentice carpenter received advice on job searching and the available support.
"It was really fun working with all the guys, they taught me so much," Mr Frankel said.
"Hopefully I can transfer somewhere else and start again.
"It's been pretty hard but hopefully I can find a new job and continue."
Keppel MP Brittany Lauga and Rockhampton MP Barry O'Rourke spoke before the event.
"It's been a heartbreaking couple of days for these workers and their families, many of whom are under significant financial stress already,'' Ms Lauga said.
"There are quite a lot of people who have not had their superannuation paid, people who are owed leave, long service leave and entitlements."
Mr O'Rourke said he had talks with Rockhampton Regional Council and State Government departments about bringing forward capital works to create jobs.
Meanwhile, after squirrelling away money for months, a Gladstone couple last week finally paid the $4500 deposit for their new kitchen.
Just a few days later they caught the late news headlines after 10pm and saw JM Kelly Group had gone into administration.
The couple, who have not been named for privacy reasons, were dismayed to realise Kawana Kitchens was among the companies which was now in administration.
Yesterday they travelled to Rockhampton to visit a JM Kelly jobs expo and speak to anyone they could to find out the next steps.
Although the couple live in Gladstone, they said they wanted to use Kawana Kitchens as it was the only company which could provide the type of modifications they wanted.
Luckily, they had not ripped out their old kitchen but said they felt for those who had already started demolition, or whose projects were in the middle of construction.
