Holden adding more staff

The Adelaide-based car maker's recruiting office is looking for another 49 staff to fill production line positions.

The company has recruited 265 new staff since it resurrected the second shift and took on local production of the Cruze small car earlier this year.

Last month's sales figures showed the Holden Commodore had returned to the number one position as the country's most popular car, almost tripling the sales of its arch rival, Ford's Falcon.

The Cruze recorded almost 3000 sales last month to top the small car sales list and rank third overall in vehicle sales for May. The 314 new jobs follow the company's cuts to its Australian workforce that reduced it from a peak of more than 6000 staff to just over 4500 during 2009.

Holden's HR director for labour and manufacturing operations Ashley Winnett said the additional staff were required because of Cruze and Commodore sales.

"We made the decision on Monday, Cruze and Commodore sales, as well as some US police car orders - but mainly the Cruze sales figures," he said.

Mr Winnett said the 49 new staff - in production and trade capacities - would also be offered 12 month contracts in line with offers made to recently-hired new staff. "The approach we've taken is that we want to build slowly and make sure there's momentum behind us, it's a sensible business approach.

"We're doing it on a business but we've got the right number for where we're at at the moment," he said.

The company also wants to encourage female applicants to consider a position in the manufacturing sector with Holden.

"A lot of females don't consider it as a career, we've increased female staff by 33 per cent - off a low base - since last year, we want to continue to market manufacturing as an area for females to consider in terms of a career," he said.

Holden has also opened applications for its co-operative undergraduate student program, a year-long paid course for as many as 25 students who want industry experience.