FONTERRA has ramped up efforts to help remaining Dennington staff find new employment as the factory nears its late November shutdown.
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About a dozen of the region's employers searching for staff showed interest in taking on workers at a jobs fair organised by Fonterra and Jobs Victoria this week.
Fonterra site manager Joel Saywell said more than half of the factory's 98 workers were deciding their next career move and 17 were starting new jobs.
"Making sure our people are supported as they move onto the next chapter of their careers has been our number one priority," Mr Saywell said.
He said workers were also offered outplacement support and training while transitioning to new careers.
The milk giant announced the factory's imminent closure in May, due to declining milk pool and the aging facilities being under utilised.
Some workers have already moved to jobs at nearby milk factories, while Fonterra has offered a handful of employees positions at its Cobden factory.
Companies including Bega, Saputo, Midfields Group, Wannon Water, Lyndoch Living and Westvic Dairy attended the jobs fair.
Jobs Victoria senior program manager Jeff Svigos said the fair was aimed at keeping workers employed in the south-west.
"Some may not have been looking for work for some time and navigating services can be difficult," Mr Svigos said.
"I think people are a bit bewildered when they have been working with an organisation for 30 plus years, they tend to underestimate the skills they bring through just being employed."
Warrnambool City mayor Tony Herbert attended the fair, and said it was "fantastic" that local employers and traning providers were keen to grow their workforce.
Mr Svigos said he noticed the mood among the remaining Fonterra workers had "slowly began to thaw".
"A lot of support has been put in place. It hasn't been just closed and said 'find your own way'," he said.
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