Costco took 44 Aucklanders off the benefit, MSD says

Tuesday, 27 September 2022

Costco has become a major employer, even before it has opened its doors.

The Ministry of Social Development Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora has outed itself as a Costco fan.

It says the opening of the new Costco in West Auckland has taken 44 people off the benefit, and into work.

Glenn Mckay, MSD regional commissioner for Auckland North-West, said the ministry had worked with Costco to help it find people to staff its first New Zealand store.

The Costco in Westgate is a 14,800m² megastore which will have around $24 million of goods on its shelves when it opens its doors.

The shelves are now stocked at Costco in Auckland pending its grand opening on September 28. There were few prices on the shelves when media were shown round the store.

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Patrick Noone, managing director for Costco in New Zealand, has now overseen 14 store openings for Costco in a career with the global retailer of more than three decades.

“Costco provides opportunities for people who want to build a career in merchandising and warehouse operation,' Mckay said.

“It’s great for jobseekers seeking a career path, especially those who live locally and prefer to work in the area.”

MSD offered a free recruitment service to help employers fill vacancies, he said.

The new Costco store, which opened its doors to media for a sneak preview on Friday, will have around 350 staff, when it has finished filling all its positions.

Patrick Noone, Costc’s New Zealand managing director, said: “We pay over the award rate, and the living wage. We want to give people really, really good jobs, good training.”

Other businesses were struggling with a national skills shortage, but Noone said: “If you pay the right wages, and have the right working conditions, you get the right people,” he said.

Noone said Costco had had little problem finding staff.