Fast Growing Company

by Gloria Welton
excerpt from the Employment Journey - Oct 2002
When you see an APM group sign go up on a fence or in front of a construction site, one can assume that soon there will be long-term opportunities springing up.

The Employment Journey would like to give you an inside look at the employment possibilities that exist within APM as a result of their constant growth.

On a recent tour of Atlantic Store Decor (ASD) Pooles Corner in Brudenell, I spoke to Kent Sheen, vice-president of operations. ASD is one company of ten that are under APM group. The other companies include:

Great Northern Knitters
Thomas Henry Fine Furniture
United Signs
Beacon Signs
APM Construction Atlantic Inc
APM Properties/ Roseneath Homes
APM Landmark
APM Mechanical
Southport Home Building Centre.

APM group is a significant employer on PEI -- they literally have hundreds of staff. “I worked for a large organization in Quebec before coming to this company,” says Sheen. “It is nice to have jobs like this on PEI. APM competes with companies all over Canada so they tend to hire Islanders who would like to return home and have the experience that fits with APM.

“We have been working at 100 percent capacity for the last three and a half years,” says Sheen. “There has been no shortage of work and we especially feel the skilled trades people shortage during the seasonal months. This seasonal shortage levels off in December, January and February. We look for people who want to work year-round. There are many reasons why a job at APM group is seen as attractive. If the person is willing to take on responsibility and has a good attitude than there could be a nice progression here at APM.”

Sheen referred to an employee who is now managing a Toronto APM group branch after being with them for only five years. “He started in our drafting design department after taking the Architect Technology program at Holland College. Many of our staff come from Holland College programs.”

“The manufacturing industry is very different today because of constant advances in technology. In our drafting area for instance new staff coming out of the Architect Technology program need training time on-the- job because the design requirements for millwork and metal is different from construction.

“We are also the first woodworking company on PEI to have CNC equipment for wood. This is another reason why we continue to look for staff because there is a lack of qualified people to work with this equipment within the labour force.”

APM looks for individuals who are flexible enough to adapt to a production environment. They hire people from trades such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and metal fabrication, administration staff, retail staff and other professions related to the specialities of the companies.

Their newest location is on Queen Street in Charlottetown which houses Great Northern Knitters and a sales and production facility for Thomas Henry Fine Furniture.

For more information about employment opportunities with APM group, contact
Hans Connor at (902) 569-8400.