Reasons to be positive in Waterford?

The Bowling Alley · 31-08-2014 11:06am

I actually think more should be done to promote Waterford as a cruise city. How many of you actually knew those cruise ships were coming in yesterday?

Apparently they are always more than willing to welcome locals on board to show them the inside of their cruise liners...

The cruise calls are on the port of Waterford site for months in advance but I don't think we're exploiting the possible potential of their visits.

In other towns and cities there would be signs all over town welcoming the passengers of the hamburg, seabourn legend and the Silvercloud...but there was none of this in Waterford because only a handful knew they were coming.

O Riain · 31-08-2014 11:23am

The Bowling Alley wrote: »

I actually think more should be done to promote Waterford as a cruise city. How many of you actually knew those cruise ships were coming in yesterday?

Apparently they are always more than willing to welcome locals on board to show them the inside of their cruise liners...

The cruise calls are on the port of Waterford site for months in advance but I don't think we're exploiting the possible potential of their visits.

In other towns and cities there would be signs all over town welcoming the passengers of the hamburg, seabourn legend and the Silvercloud...but there was none of this in Waterford because only a handful knew they were coming.

Also surely something could be done with the Marina over there. It is awful. If it's a potential gateway for thousands of tourists then it really needs to be developed.

Does anyone know how big a ship has to be before it cannot come up the river. I know the one with 3000 people was too big so wondering was it just a little too big or way too big?

Deise67 · 31-08-2014 11:33am

O Riain wrote: »

Also surely something could be done with the Marina over there. It is awful. If it's a potential gateway for thousands of tourists then it really needs to be developed.

Does anyone know how big a ship has to be before it cannot come up the river. I know the one with 3000 people was too big so wondering was it just a little too big or way too big?

its down to the draught of the ship , celebrity infinity was 8.3 meters, sliver cloud was 5.7 meters so I guess the answer lies in-between , tides would play a factor as well big spring over 4.5 meters , neap about 3 !

Deise67 · 31-08-2014 11:36am

Deise67 wrote: »

its down to the draught of the ship , celebrity infinity was 8.3 meters, sliver cloud was 5.7 meters so I guess the answer lies in-between , tides would play a factor as well big spring over 4.5 meters , neap about 3 !

marine traffic is a nice app if your into that sort of thing !!

Sully · 31-08-2014 5:08pm

Lots of coverage in today's Sunday Business Post. It's an article that wants to show the positives of employment in Waterford rather than the constant negativity we are frequently associated with. Front page reference too, which is fantastic.

thomasm · 31-08-2014 8:10pm

Sully wrote: »

Lots of coverage in today's Sunday Business Post. It's an article that wants to show the positives of employment in Waterford rather than the constant negativity we are frequently associated with. Front page reference too, which is fantastic.

True, gave a good account of efforts being made to improve situation. Did not realise the €10 million Viking triangle investment was Failte Ireland's biggest capital investment to date.

O Riain · 31-08-2014 8:21pm

thomasm wrote: »

True, gave a good account of efforts being made to improve situation. Did not realise the €10 million Viking triangle investment was Failte Ireland's biggest capital investment to date.

Is there much left planned for the Viking triangle or is that the extent of it?

jmcc · 03-09-2014 3:12pm

reni10 wrote: »

It would make sense for someone like Google to just buy up a few of those Waterford startups and use them to develop Talent for the wider Google group.

To Hell with Google. Its record on buying and screwing up startups is terrible. Let those Waterford startups develop to be world beaters.

Regards...jmcc

Max Powers · 04-09-2014 3:25pm

Early Christmas present....just saw on their site that Metalman have ordered a canning machine, cans a bit of a novelty on the craft/quality beer scene in Ireland but not so in the US. Awesome!

KevIRL · 04-09-2014 3:31pm

Brewdog do cans already so not that unusual. Delighted metalman will be available in offies in a few months. Hope they do a pale ale run first up though

MentalMario · 05-09-2014 7:57pm

Max Powers wrote: »

Early Christmas present....just saw on their site that Metalman have ordered a canning machine, cans a bit of a novelty on the craft/quality beer scene in Ireland but not so in the US. Awesome!

Would have rathered bottles but it's a step in the right direction. Now just to get a MEtalman tap in the top floor of The Kazbar and we're sorted

The Bowling Alley · 05-09-2014 10:57pm

MentalMario wrote: »

Would have rathered bottles but it's a step in the right direction. Now just to get a MEtalman tap in the top floor of The Kazbar and we're sorted

Cans are actually better.

MentalMario · 06-09-2014 12:33am

The Bowling Alley wrote: »

Cans are actually better.

In general, I think bottles are a lot nicer than cans.

Not sure if it'll be different for craft beer though.

Tallcarrie · 06-09-2014 10:21am

Great news for Ardkeen Quality Foodstore today, winning Best artisan food/greengrocer in Irish Times Best Shop 2014

'Ardkeen Quality Food Store
It’s hard to imagine a grocery store being able to survive in the shadow of giants such as Tesco and Lidl, but Ardkeen Quality Food Store in Waterford is thriving'

comeraghs · 09-09-2014 3:40pm

Positive news expected from Genzyme in Waterford

Waterford looks set for a big jobs boost as Genzyme, the biotechnology company who already employ over 500 people in the city, plan another major expansion.WLR FM News understands that the Waterford factory is in line for a huge new investment that could create hundreds of new jobs and see hundreds of millions of euro spent on expanding facilities on the Old Kilmeaden Road.While the company has not responded to requests for comment, its believed that workers at the factory were told about the project in recent days and speculation has since grown locally about the scale of the plans.The IDA referred requests for comment to Genzyme.In February 2013, Sanofi - owners of Genzyme since 2011 - announced a 44 million euro investment in Waterford.The latest positive news expected from Genzyme comes as anticipation grows about a major investment announcement for a nearby IDA site thats believed to be earmarked for West Pharma, a US company who supply the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors.

WLR website.

fricatus · 09-09-2014 3:47pm

Grow HQ in Ardkeen has reached its FundIt target:

http://fundit.ie/project/giys-grow-hq

Max Powers · 10-09-2014 10:44am

fricatus wrote: »

Grow HQ in Ardkeen has reached its FundIt target:

http://fundit.ie/project/giys-grow-hq

Wow, 20000 was ambitious, delighted they made it. will be a good attraction when done

Tallcarrie · 12-09-2014 10:45am

Garter Lane Arts Centre celebrated its 30th anniversary this week with a visit from actor Niall Toibin, who opened it in the teeth of a recession on 8th Sept 1984

Finnbar01 · 13-09-2014 11:45am

This involves the county just as much as the city.

1. Comely Mountains & Corrie Lakes
2. The Viking Triangle
3. Mary Wall’s Picnics
4. The Copper Coast
5. The humble blaa
6. The awesome village of Ardmore
7. The Waterford & Suir Valley Railway
8. Food, glorious food
9. A Dip (or Daytrip) in Dunmore East
10. This fella

http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/10-great-reasons-to-visit-waterford-30565355.html

reni10 · 18-09-2014 2:24pm

Great News for the Waterford Tech Industry with Red Hat buying FeedHenry for $82million!
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/waterford-software-firm-feedhenry-sold-to-red-hat-for-635m-30597295.html

Finally there is a major Technology Company with an interest in Waterford and hopefully this now helps all those other Startups in Waterford and the South East get the notice they deserve.

BuilderPlumber · 26-09-2014 8:09am

reni10 wrote: »

Great News for the Waterford Tech Industry with Red Hat buying FeedHenry for $82million!
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/waterford-software-firm-feedhenry-sold-to-red-hat-for-635m-30597295.html

Finally there is a major Technology Company with an interest in Waterford and hopefully this now helps all those other Startups in Waterford and the South East get the notice they deserve.

All well and grand for the guys who own it and their American techie buddies but this type of thing does not deliver the ordinary jobs required for ordinary people. Jobs are often created in areas like IT and engineering that are virtually impossible to fill. We should instead concentrate on providing more down to earth services that create jobs where Irish employees can be found to fill them. Many of these IT and technological engineering positions are filled by Americans, Germans, Russians, ex-USSR people, Chinese, etc. and NOT Irish. It is rocket science! And those who can fill such positions usually are those educated by superpowers and space exploring nations. As said in a previous post, what does advanced computing do for most people in West Cork, Leitrim, Mayo or Clare?

O Riain · 26-09-2014 8:24am

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

All well and grand for the guys who own it and their American techie buddies but this type of thing does not deliver the ordinary jobs required for ordinary people. Jobs are often created in areas like IT and engineering that are virtually impossible to fill. We should instead concentrate on providing more down to earth services that create jobs where Irish employees can be found to fill them. Many of these IT and technological engineering positions are filled by Americans, Germans, Russians, ex-USSR people, Chinese, etc. and NOT Irish. It is rocket science! And those who can fill such positions usually are those educated by superpowers and space exploring nations. As said in a previous post, what does advanced computing do for most people in West Cork, Leitrim, Mayo or Clare?

What are you on about? Loads of local people are involved in that company, educated locally and facilitated by W.I.T.

They are the some super human overlords like you make them out to be.

I'm in engineering and the opportunities are good, but I still wish I was involved in computing - better money and way more opportunities.

There are plenty of people educated in computing out in W.I.T. and now in really good jobs. I can't understand people that see the tide has changed, see the opportunities there, but choose not to go with it. If it's ability people are worried about, up-skilling in a new career is not one bit easy, but it is not impossible and beats sitting around waiting for the jobs to come to you.

fricatus · 26-09-2014 8:57am

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

All well and grand for the guys who own it and their American techie buddies but this type of thing does not deliver the ordinary jobs required for ordinary people. Jobs are often created in areas like IT and engineering that are virtually impossible to fill. We should instead concentrate on providing more down to earth services that create jobs where Irish employees can be found to fill them. Many of these IT and technological engineering positions are filled by Americans, Germans, Russians, ex-USSR people, Chinese, etc. and NOT Irish. It is rocket science! And those who can fill such positions usually are those educated by superpowers and space exploring nations. As said in a previous post, what does advanced computing do for most people in West Cork, Leitrim, Mayo or Clare?

What a load of rubbish! Tons of "ordinary people" work in IT, including me. And lots of them are Irish! Who'd have thought we'd have brains like those Americans and ex-USSR types, eh?

And another thing to consider: even if you were right, and there wasn't a single Irish person working there, the effect of having 500 or 1,000 highly skilled and well paid positions in the area would create a huge economic spin-off. They all have to be housed, and they drink in local pubs, eat in local restaurants, and shop in local shops. Plenty of "ordinary jobs" are created and sustained this way.

This is serious good news, and is potentially a huge boost for the city and the region. Companies like Red Hat are serious players, and if they're impressed with the location, who knows what divisions and services they could be locating here in 10 years' time. What's more, if an executive with Red Hat who's been to Waterford and loved it moves to another company who's thinking of setting up in Ireland... well that's pretty much how FDI chooses where to locate!

O Riain · 26-09-2014 9:31am

fricatus wrote: »

What a load of rubbish! Tons of "ordinary people" work in IT, including me. And lots of them are Irish! Who'd have thought we'd have brains like those Americans and ex-USSR types, eh?

And another thing to consider: even if you were right, and there wasn't a single Irish person working there, the effect of having 500 or 1,000 highly skilled and well paid positions in the area would create a huge economic spin-off. They all have to be housed, and they drink in local pubs, eat in local restaurants, and shop in local shops. Plenty of "ordinary jobs" are created and sustained this way.

This is serious good news, and is potentially a huge boost for the city and the region. Companies like Red Hat are serious players, and if they're impressed with the location, who knows what divisions and services they could be locating here in 10 years' time. What's more, if an executive with Red Hat who's been to Waterford and loved it moves to another company who's thinking of setting up in Ireland... well that's pretty much how FDI chooses where to locate!

I'm not totally up to speed on the whole thing (barely know who Redhat are but know they are big) but that guys post is ridiculous to the extreme. Almost seems like a WUM.

reni10 · 26-09-2014 3:11pm

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

All well and grand for the guys who own it and their American techie buddies but this type of thing does not deliver the ordinary jobs required for ordinary people. Jobs are often created in areas like IT and engineering that are virtually impossible to fill. We should instead concentrate on providing more down to earth services that create jobs where Irish employees can be found to fill them. Many of these IT and technological engineering positions are filled by Americans, Germans, Russians, ex-USSR people, Chinese, etc. and NOT Irish. It is rocket science! And those who can fill such positions usually are those educated by superpowers and space exploring nations. As said in a previous post, what does advanced computing do for most people in West Cork, Leitrim, Mayo or Clare?

The reality of it is that 99% of the people working in the Tech industry in this area are from Waterford and the South East or have relocated to here from other parts of the country, that is the fact!

There are also hundreds of IT Graduates coming out of WIT every year so is it not great news to have a large IT company now with a presence in Waterford?

Posts like the one above are very disturbing in terms of wanting to turn what is obviously good news for the area into something you can moan about!

fiachr_a · 26-09-2014 6:06pm

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

All well and grand for the guys who own it and their American techie buddies but this type of thing does not deliver the ordinary jobs required for ordinary people. Jobs are often created in areas like IT and engineering that are virtually impossible to fill. We should instead concentrate on providing more down to earth services that create jobs where Irish employees can be found to fill them. Many of these IT and technological engineering positions are filled by Americans, Germans, Russians, ex-USSR people, Chinese, etc. and NOT Irish. It is rocket science! And those who can fill such positions usually are those educated by superpowers and space exploring nations. As said in a previous post, what does advanced computing do for most people in West Cork, Leitrim, Mayo or Clare?

Ever wonder why these jobs are impossible to fill? Bet you send your kids to a school full of female teachers? Bet your kids can recite why 'Jesus loves us' and also recite the Lord's prayer in Irish? Bet none of your kids know the difference between c# and c++? The reason why foreigners are taking all our IT jobs is because of our dumbed down education system. Even our 3rd-level colleges are sub-standard compared to ones in other countries. There was an article in the paper last weekend and some Professor said there are less women now studying IT in Irish colleges than back in the 1980s. If Sorcha or Natalie want to waste their time studying for a degree in Health Promotion then they can't be complaining that there are no bleedin' jobs!

reni10 · 02-10-2014 9:36am

So there will supposedly be good news this morning for Waterford on the jobs front with the new West Pharma plant probably being announced which will be built out next to Genyme.

Hopefully we are looking at 500+ jobs to come online in the next 12-24 months as it is big job announcements like these that are needed.

KevIRL · 02-10-2014 10:34am

150 jobs possibly rising to 250

KevIRL · 02-10-2014 10:35am

150 new pharma jobs for Waterford; maybe 250 if the company, West Pharma from the US, continues to expand. New green field site near Genzyme

From Damien tiernan twitter

Hoffmans · 02-10-2014 11:16am

Not exactly an announcement this story has been out for weeks and originally it was supposedly 500 jobs now only 150

A bit of an unanouncement....

fricatus · 02-10-2014 11:34am

Hoffmans wrote: »

Not exactly an announcement this story has been out for weeks and originally it was supposedly 500 jobs now only 150

A bit of an unanouncement....

You never know with these things though. Sometimes they bump along for a few years, and then fizzle out, like BISYS/Citi Financial, and sometimes they grow beyond all initial expectations.

The fact that there are similar companies in a cluster nearby (particularly Genzyme) would give me hope though. It will make recruitment for specialist positions much easier for one.

Digital Society · 02-10-2014 12:16pm

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

All well and grand for the guys who own it and their American techie buddies but this type of thing does not deliver the ordinary jobs required for ordinary people. Jobs are often created in areas like IT and engineering that are virtually impossible to fill. We should instead concentrate on providing more down to earth services that create jobs where Irish employees can be found to fill them. Many of these IT and technological engineering positions are filled by Americans, Germans, Russians, ex-USSR people, Chinese, etc. and NOT Irish. It is rocket science! And those who can fill such positions usually are those educated by superpowers and space exploring nations. As said in a previous post, what does advanced computing do for most people in West Cork, Leitrim, Mayo or Clare?

Ill simplify it down. I make 1000 Euro per week in IT. I spend 800 Euro per week on goods and services including Builders and Plumbers in Waterford, West Cork, Leitrim and Mayo.

Guess what happens next.

Do you see now how it works and that we all cant be Builders and Plumbers?

Max Powers · 02-10-2014 12:43pm

Hoffmans wrote: »

Not exactly an announcement this story has been out for weeks and originally it was supposedly 500 jobs now only 150

A bit of an unanouncement....

Great stuff, potential to grow and attract more.

wellboytoo · 02-10-2014 1:31pm

Digital Society wrote: »

Ill simplify it down. I make 1000 Euro per week in IT. I spend 800 Euro per week on goods and services including Builders and Plumbers in Waterford, West Cork, Leitrim and Mayo.

Guess what happens next.

Do you see now how it works and that we all cant be Builders and Plumbers?

That's simplifying it???????????????????

KevIRL · 06-10-2014 7:13pm

The Metalman lads doing us proud (yet again) on Nationwide

zurbfoundation · 07-10-2014 10:14am

KevIRL wrote: »

The Metalman lads doing us proud (yet again) on Nationwide

saw it - good piece, great beer

BBM77 · 20-10-2014 1:52pm

http://www.wlrfm.com/news/local/12622-100-new-jobs-in-waterford.html

More good news on the jobs front. I know people will knock call centre jobs but not everybody has the ability to get high skilled jobs.

fricatus · 20-10-2014 2:55pm

BBM77 wrote: »

http://www.wlrfm.com/news/local/12622-100-new-jobs-in-waterford.html

More good news on the jobs front. I know people will knock call centre jobs but not everybody has the ability to get high skilled jobs.

They're not necessarily low-skilled jobs either of course. The term "call-centre job" means about as little as "factory job" does. In a factory you could be putting widgets in a box all day, or programming and calibrating the machine that makes the widgets - there's the same sort of variation within and between call centres.

fiachr_a · 20-10-2014 6:22pm

BBM77 wrote: »

I know people will knock call centre jobs but not everybody has the ability to get high skilled jobs.

True, but what's the point in trying to have a local university when these jobs are all that's available?

Jamie2k9 · 20-10-2014 6:28pm

fiachr_a wrote: »

True, but what's the point in trying to have a local university when these jobs are all that's available?

Do we have a university? No. Until then nobody can be a snob about jobs....

BBM77 · 20-10-2014 8:58pm

fiachr_a wrote: »

True, but what's the point in trying to have a local university when these jobs are all that's available?

First of all that is not all the jobs that are available locally. Secondly jobs that require a third level qualification are not an option to everybody for various reasons. What are you saying jobs should not be created for people who don’t have a third level qualification?

BBM77 · 20-10-2014 9:14pm

fricatus wrote: »

They're not necessarily low-skilled jobs either of course. The term "call-centre job" means about as little as "factory job" does. In a factory you could be putting widgets in a box all day, or programming and calibrating the machine that makes the widgets - there's the same sort of variation within and between call centres.

Absolutely; I just find this attitude bizarre. This attitude that certain jobs are beneath us has done damage in the past. One of the reasons that the city centre lags behind the standard of retail that a city the size of Waterford can achieve is that city councils of the past did not see retail jobs as “proper” jobs and not worth going after. Consequently one of the reasons that Waterford has a higher unemployment rate (even during the boom) is that the proportion of service industry jobs available in Waterford is lower compared to the other cities who developed their retail sector.

fricatus · 21-10-2014 8:56am

BBM77 wrote: »

Absolutely; I just find this attitude bizarre. This attitude that certain jobs are beneath us has done damage in the past. One of the reasons that the city centre lags behind the standard of retail that a city the size of Waterford can achieve is that city councils of the past did not see retail jobs as “proper” jobs and not worth going after. Consequently one of the reasons that Waterford has a higher unemployment rate (even during the boom) is that the proportion of service industry jobs available in Waterford is lower compared to the other cities who developed their retail sector.

Yeah, I've very often found this attitude among Waterford people, I'm sorry to say. Unless it's a job in a factory provided by the IDA, then it's not a real job, and all the call centres and shopping centres in the world are beneath that ideal.

I wonder if it has something to do with the old-school union mentality: in a factory you can see the means of production and if necessary, seize it off the greedy bosses. It's a lot harder to do when you've just got a PC and a headset, or a till and a stockroom.

One thing's for sure though: someone who takes up a job in a call centre and uses it as a springboard for internal promotion or else to gain experience and move on somewhere else will be way better off in five years' time than some purist who sits on the dole, hoping for the day when the IDA builds a big factory and gets some American or German firm in like they used to do in the '70s and '80s.

Max Powers · 21-10-2014 9:40am

To get back onto positivity since that is what this thread is for:

Peacocks shop opening thursday in old a-wear building
Iceland opening opening December,

Taken from this weeks munster express

fiachr_a · 21-10-2014 5:31pm

fricatus wrote: »

One thing's for sure though: someone who takes up a job in a call centre and uses it as a springboard for internal promotion or else to gain experience and move on somewhere else will be way better off in five years' time than some purist who sits on the dole

Waterford must be some blackspot if everyone's celebrating the opening of another call centre? Those people would have better job prospects working in Supermacs.

SteelyDanJalapeno · 21-10-2014 5:35pm

fiachr_a wrote: »

Waterford must be some blackspot if everyone's celebrating the opening of another call centre? Those people would have better job prospects working in Supermacs.

This x100000

7upfree · 21-10-2014 5:45pm

fricatus wrote: »

Yeah, I've very often found this attitude among Waterford people, I'm sorry to say. Unless it's a job in a factory provided by the IDA, then it's not a real job, and all the call centres and shopping centres in the world are beneath that ideal.

I wonder if it has something to do with the old-school union mentality: in a factory you can see the means of production and if necessary, seize it off the greedy bosses. It's a lot harder to do when you've just got a PC and a headset, or a till and a stockroom.

One thing's for sure though: someone who takes up a job in a call centre and uses it as a springboard for internal promotion or else to gain experience and move on somewhere else will be way better off in five years' time than some purist who sits on the dole, hoping for the day when the IDA builds a big factory and gets some American or German firm in like they used to do in the '70s and '80s.

Manufacturing is in decline. Across Europe. The vultures who picked over the bones of Ireland have moved onto greener pastures. The future is call centres. IT, Pharma, and services. I hate seeing Waterford people castigated though. They are no worse than anywhere else.

Positives? Regina opening again. Park Inn open again.

Whywhywhy85 · 21-10-2014 9:34pm

TiltedBrain wrote: »

This x100000

Plenty of the jobs are paying well in excess of 30k and some 40k. Not to be sniffed at.

fricatus · 22-10-2014 9:05am

fiachr_a wrote: »

Waterford must be some blackspot if everyone's celebrating the opening of another call centre?

Yeah, Waterford is a blackspot for unemployment. We know this well, so why not celebrate every step we take away from that?

fiachr_a wrote: »

Those people would have better job prospects working in Supermacs.

Would they now? Really? Have you actually thought about what you're saying?

7upfree wrote: »

I hate seeing Waterford people castigated though. They are no worse than anywhere else.

Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to tar all my fellow Déise people with the same brush. However there is a cohort out there with the attitude I referred to.

These jobs are well worth celebrating lads... it's a hundred more people employed, and with more money in their pockets than the dole, it will provide support for local pubs, shops, restaurants, etc. Some of those people will even gain valuable experience that they'll take elsewhere with them, or may work their way up into more valuable positions within this company.

Good luck to them, and I hope they have a good experience setting up in Waterford. With a bit of luck, they'll employ many more than the initial hundred in a few years' time!

mufcboy1999 · 22-10-2014 11:45am

Until a university comes the most positive thing in waterford are the roads out of it. Another minimum wage call centre , wow we should be so greatfull hopefully it's not run anything like that concentration camp eishtec.

Waterford is really just being given the sh*t at the end of the stick, dont be brainwashed into thinking we should be happy and great full for another call centre, we're quick becoming the land of call centres.

Reasons to be positive in Waterford?

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