NEW BEDFORD — When Mike Wunschel walked under the white tent set up outside of Acushnet Company Monday afternoon, the father of a 3 year-old had been out of work since May.
When he left the tent, he had an offer letter.
Acushnet Company produces golf equipment and clothing for brands like Titleist, and held open houses for the past three weeks to hire new workers to help address a heightened demand for golf equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.
The open houses will continue into October and the company plans to hire over 200 people when all is said and done, according to Laurie Herbert, director of talent acquisition.
Golf has been a positive activity for people to partake in during the coronavirus pandemic, Chief People Officer for Titleist Brendan Reidy said, since it’s outdoors and allows for social distancing.
“We continued to see incredible demand for our products as we came out of the heart of the initial part of the pandemic,” Reidy said, “It has really effectively forced us to look at how we respond to that demand.”
During a time where unemployment and layoffs are rampant, mass hirings by companies seem to be a rarity.
“We’re privileged to be in a position where our business has turned around where we can continue to make these investments,” Reidy said, “To see that Acushnet [Company] is doing well and has come through 2020 in a positive way has really left a positive mark on people.”
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In addition to the increase in the demand, the company also had to catch up on orders they received while the plant was closed from March 16 to May 18 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Reidy said the company determined they would need to hire for a mixture of different positions across all different shifts, which include nights and weekends.
The roles will have full benefits, but will, at least initially, be temporary.
According to Reidy, as the company looks at the demand going forward it will make a determination about potentially making the roles long-term.
In addition to hiring for new positions, the company had been able to bring back almost all of the 1,100 employees they had to furlough when the plants shut down.
On May 18, the company brought back a limited number of associates to prepare the facility to start limited production with COVID-19 protocols in place, and since then it has consistently increased production over the following weeks and months, according to Titleist Director of Communication Joe Gomes, who said the business is now running three shifts, all allowing for social distancing.
Reidy said there were a few exceptions where furloughed employees didn’t come back to work due to health reasons and an additional handful chose to retire.
Any employee that had a health concern about returning to work was able to talk to a supervisor about their concerns.
Reidy said their health and safety questions were answered by the supervisor and 99% of the time the employee decided to return to work, but some had unique situations and decided against it.
With their safety protocols in place — which include installing plexi-glass dividers, mask-wearing requirements, and signage about safety protocols throughout the facility, among others things — Reidy said the company has not had any issues with COVID-19 outbreaks.
The open house process also had its own COVID-19 protocol.
Upon arrival potential employees had to read a list of symptoms and affirm that they were not exhibiting any of them, put on a company provided mask, and have their temperature checked.
Once the potential employee made their way through the COVID-19 screening they would go to one of four interviewers who would determine if they were a fit for one of positions the company was looking to fill. The interviews took place at a distance with the interviewer and interviewee seated at either end of a long folding table.
If the interviewer determined the potential employee was a good fit for the position, they would then go on a tour of the facility to see what the job would look like.
At the completion of the tour, the potential employee would then have to complete a drug test, which is company policy, and if they passed they would be given an offer letter.
After receiving the offer letter, if the potential employee is able to pass a background check and a math and reading test, they are officially hired.
Over the past three weeks the company has held three open houses and hired an average of 35 people at each one, according to Herbert, who said it has worked out to about 75% of the people that have attended.
Wunschel said walking out of the tent with an offer letter felt like a lot’s being lifted off his shoulders.
The former safety technician said he’s been actively looking for work since he lost his job in May, but hasn’t had any success and has been making ends meet with unemployment benefits.
A New Bedford resident, Wunschel said he’s been stressed being out of work with a three-year old at home and it felt good to be at Acushnet Company Monday.
Being unemployed has been boring, he said, and “I’m ready to start work as soon as possible.”
Wunschel was offered a position as a material handler for Ball Plant III, a position that starts at $17.51/hr with a differential based on years of experience and the time of the shift, according to Liz Rathborne, a senior acquisition consultant.
Rathborne said through the open houses the company has been able to find very good people who work hard that lost their job due to COVID.
While James Sisson was waiting in line to enter the tent on Monday, he explained that he was looking for a job to supplement his income from owning his own landscaping business, Eastern Landscapes.
The landscaping business has taken a $100,000 hit during the pandemic, according to the New Bedford resident, who suspects the reason is people deciding to take care of their own lawns during the pandemic as both a way to save money and to spend their time while they’re stuck at home.
Sisson said he wasn’t sure what to expect from the interview process, but that he’s a jack of all trades.
People’s reasons for coming to the open house on Monday varied.
Leslie Velez said she came because she has two children who are distance learning at home and was looking to work a shift that would allow her to take care of her children and also make some money.
Ariana Arzola recently moved to Fall River from Cambridge because the rents in Cambridge were getting too expensive at $3,000/month for a two-bedroom apartment.
Arzola made the move during the pandemic and said she has been looking for work in the area, and has had some success finding open positions, but she is most interested in working at Acushnet Company.
“I’m trying to better my future,” she said, and that she thinks working at Acushnet Company might offer that.
Acushnet Company’s next open house is Oct. 5 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. ET at 215 Duchaine Blvd. New Bedord, Massachusetts, for machinists, machine millwrights, service equipment mechanics, and service millwrights, with a starting pay rate of $26.99/hr with a differential based on experience and shift. For these skilled positions an associate’s degree and vocational are preferred.
There will also be an open house from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. for positions that don’t necessarily require experience.
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