samson and goliath are the twin shipbuilding gantry cranes situated at queen 's island , belfast , northern ireland .

the cranes , which were named after the biblical figures samson and goliath , dominate the belfast skyline and are landmark structures of the city .

comparative newcomers to the city , the cranes rapidly came to symbolise belfast in a way that no building or monument had hitherto done .

samson and goliath ( cranes )

samson & goliath cranes , belfast : address , samson & goliath cranes reviews : 4 . 5 / 5
samson and goliath goliath being completed in 1969 and samson , in 1974 . goliath stands 96 metres ( 315 ft ) tall , while samson is taller at 106 metres ( 348 ft ) . goliath , the smaller of the two sits slightly further inland closer to belfast city . both cranes are still in operation .
the giant samson and goliath cranes at belfast ' s shipyard are to remain part of the city ' s skyline .
the two great yellow - painted gantry cranes samson and goliath have become icons of belfast , dominating the entire city skyline .
harland and wolff still use the samson and goliath cranes in construction work . e . g wind turbines , oil rigs and so on .
the cranes , known locally as samson and goliath , are of krupp ardelt design , modified to meet harland and wolff’s special requirements .
it still boasts the biggest dry dock in western europe , sitting in the shadow of the giant gantry cranes samson and goliath .
the two great yellow - painted gantry cranes samson and goliath have become icons of belfast , dominating not just queen’s island but the entire city skyline .
a prominent feature of the belfast skyline is the harland and wolff cranes , samson and goliath . when people think of harland and wolff and belfast , the image of the cranes is usually the first thing that comes to mind , after the titanic . the crane samson was built in 1974 and the crane goliath in 1969 [ 4 ] .
samson and goliath or the two h & w yellow cranes are part of the fabric of belfast . most people will associate belfast with them when seen on tv . when you get up close and personal which we did yesterday , they are huge with samson being by the water and goliath behind . would love to see a restaurant at the top ! !
goliath was built in 1969 and is temporarily out of action because of refurbishment work . samson was erected in 1974 . they can carry loads of up to 840 tonnes .
constructed to service the vast new graving dock at harland and wolff , goliath ( the smaller at 315 ft ) began work in 1969 , and the 348ft samson five years later . each of the krupp - ardelt designed cranes can lift loads of up to 840 tons .
by the 1950s , it employed around 35 , 000 . its two massive yellow cranes , samson and goliath , are probably belfast ' s best - known landmark . shipbuilding remains the core industry , but the firm has lately been constructing oil rigs and other vessels used in off - shore exploration .
harland and wolff are still in operation on the island today , with the skyline dominated by their famous twin gantry cranes , samson and goliath , built in 1974 and 1969 respectively . while a large proportion of their work is now focused on the offshore wind power industry , the company recently carried out work on restoring both
in most respects the cranes are identical but samson is some 10m higher than the goliath . each has a span of 140m ( 460 feet ) and a safe working load of 840 tonnes . goliath has a height from rail tracks to the underside of the bridge girders of 70m ( 230 feet ) and an overall height of 96m ( 316 feet ) . samson has an overall height of 106m ( 348 feet ) with a height of 80m ( 263 feet ) from tracks to the underside of bridge girders .
the cranes , are of krupp ardelt design , modified to meet harland and wolff ' s special requirements . the first , goliath , completed in july 1969 , was largely constructed by harland and wolff in the belfast shipyard , the second , samson , was provided in its entirety by krupps and was completed in may 1974 .
these cranes at harland and wolff can be seen from miles around and are an essential part of the . . .
belfast is the last british city with a skyline dominated by a shipyard . the giant cranes of harland and wolff - goliath and samson - loom over queen ' s island , near the mouth of the river lagan . they symbolise the city itself , as much as the 150 - year - old company which has launched 1700 ships into belfast lough .
the famous harland & wolff cranes dominate the belfast skyline . inaccessible to the public ,
the dup reacted furiously to the revelations though , insisting that the cranes were no longer allowed to donate blood , bake cakes or get married . they’ve also called their biblical names into question . “it’s an affront to the good book to have these sodomites call themselves samson and goliath . ” said dup spokesman alister redface . “we demand their first names be changed to something more suitable for two cranes . like frasier & niles ! ”
michael coulter of the environment and heritage service said the cranes were a landmark for visitors to the city .
the first , goliath , was completed in july 1969 and was largely constructed by harland and wolff within the company , whilst the second , samson , was provided by krupps in its entirety and was completed in may 1974 . in most respects the cranes are identical but the second is some 10m higher than the first . each has a span of 140m ( 460 ft ) and a safe working load of 840 tonnes .
cool cranes to look at from near and afar . definitely a cool skyline attraction for some photo . . .
i always thought there could be an amazing panoramic restaurant on top of one of the cranes .
the giant cranes are at the harlan and wolf shipyard . they have become an iconic part of the . . .
this is a photo from 1975 . looks absolutely class ! you can see the 2 old slipways with the cranes around them up near victoria park . you can see the stripes on the corners of goliath also . . . image hosted on flickr urltoken
shopping was the next eagerly awaited part of the outing with the group spending a few hours ( and money ! ) in both victoria square and the castlecourt shopping centres . there was just enough time for the group to visit the site of the titanic dock under the shadows of the giant samson and goliath cranes before entering the odyssey arena to witness more ‘giants’ , this time the ice hockey variety , the belfast giants , in their game against the nottingham panthers .
i ' m just about old enough to remember the cranes being assembled and i have no recollection of them ever being red .
does anyone know if they are planning to repaint the cranes , and eventually incorpoate the cranes into titanic quarter . it would be cool if they turned one of the cranes into an
observation tower
, whereby you could go to the top and look out over the city ! kinda silly , but i think it would make a great place for a bungee jump haha !
they never used to sit as close in as they do now if i can remember correctly . i think when the yard was busy the cranes where mostly down over the dry dock . goliath seems now to be mostly parked at the very end of its rails .
these cranes at harland and wolff can be seen from miles around and are an essential part of the history of belfast ' s history of the shipbuilding industry .
goliath , who first arrived in belfast in 1969 , told us “the early years were lonely for me , but when samson arrived in 73 i finally had some company ! we started out friends , but after years of him watching him sliding up and down my dock i eventually admitted the truth – that i had feelings for him . ”
northern ireland office minister angela smith said :
these cranes are an essential part of our city , our roots and our culture .
with its two giant yellow cranes - - known as samson and goliath - - dominating the belfast skyline as one of the city ' s best - known landmarks , harland & wolff had already sensed that it would lose the bid . on wednesday its chief executive , brynjulv mugaas , notified the shipyard ' s 1 , 745 workers that they could be laid off in 90 days , sending a chill through the northern ireland economy and deepening the gloom in the british - administered province from the failure to date of attempts at reconciliation and self - government .
in addition to lifting gear the upper trolley also carries the driver ' s cab which is attached to an outrigger . the cab affords all - round vision for the driver who is in telephonic communication with a number of points on the crane itself , and in u . h . f . radio communication with the ground . the goliath cab is fixed while the samson cab can be slewed .
the giant cranes are at the harlan and wolf shipyard . they have become an iconic part of the harbor skyline . this is where the titanic and many other historic ships were built .
three dozen of his own photographs taken over the past thirty years . they depict harland and wolff’s gantry cranes from a variety of viewpoints and constitute a modest tribute to the two biblical giants and to the city they have come to symbolise
like many relationships though the cranes have had problems . “aye we’ve had lots and lots of ups and downs between us through the years” revealed goliath . “we’d be really close one day , but we’d wake up the next to find we’d somehow drifted apart . for some reason big stuff has always tried to come between us , but when it does we just work through it together ! a problem shared is a problem halved . ”
although not officially classed as wonders of the world , the two massive cranes in harland and wolff belfast , which serve one of the world’s largest building docks , are certainly masterpieces of engineering .
they were at their biggest in 1918 , they had 56 , 000 employees . still can ' t track down the photo of the cranes when they were grey .
harland and wolff were still one of the world ' s great shipbuilders at the time and the building of the two cranes , during a difficult period for shipbuilding in belfast , was seen as a sign of faith in the future .
the history attracts people to the cranes , but to make them stay is to add evening lights or a small museum of the plant . . then they would be visible iconic
i vaguely remember the cranes at h & w being red in the 70 ' s , though i was only a child . anyone any pictures . maybe i ' m imagining things !
the cranes , which are over 300 ft high , have been
scheduled
under the historic monuments and archaeological objects ( northern ireland ) order 1995 which ensures that any action to alter or change them would need consent .
the cranes can be seen from almost anywhere in belfast they are so big . they can also be seen from the stranraer ferry while still out at sea and before entering belfast lough . climb up to scrabo tower in newtownards and you can see them . . .
cool cranes to look at from near and afar . definitely a cool skyline attraction for some photo opportunities . stayed in towers next to harbor and had a miserable two night stay renting through halcyon apartments . our room looked out directly over shipyard with nice views . . .
i ' m pretty sure i remember a time when one of the h & w cranes was yellow and one was white . that was when i was a kid . . . so i ' m thinking very late 80s or early 90s .
guangzhou wenchong yard china - there is a yard in china that has at least 2 of these cranes and they are red , this could be it . can anyone source a better panorama . i think yellow is the best colour as per belfast .
iconic in belfast , the two gantry cranes provide a visual reminder of belfasts shipbuilding history and in particular h & w , the company behind titanic . perhaps more for history lovers , it is a must take picture for anyone visiting this part of belfast .
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it now has a labour force of just 130 and is involved in ship repair and conversion work , ship design and bridge building .
as a journalist in both parts of ireland , and in the united states and africa .
samson too felt an early attraction . “we both were interested in similar things , such as boats , lifting dead heavy stuff and the colour yellow . it was uncanny ! i remember looking at him across the harbour one day and realising how handsome he was . i used to just find myself gazing at him for hours . one day he actually caught me staring at him whilst he was taking a ship ! # awkward”
with belfast’s pride festival well underway , the two cranes that dominate the belfast skyline have sensationally revealed that they are in a ‘happy , consenting adult relationship’ , or as one observer put it , ‘they’re pure bucking the life out of each other’ .
each crane consists basically of the pier ( box ) leg , the sheer ( tube ) legs , the bridge girders , and two lifting trolleys . the pier leg is of box construction and contains a stairway to the bridge girders and a four - man lift which operates at a speed of 0 . 5 m / sec . for a height of about 54 . 4m ( 180 feet ) ; in the case of samson the height is 70 . 4m ( 232 feet ) .
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the lagan valley regional park is located between stranmillis , belfast and union locks , lisburn and covers some 4 , 500 acres of countryside and eleven miles of riverbank .
the cranes can be seen from almost anywhere in belfast they are so big . they can also be seen from the stranraer ferry while still out at sea and before entering belfast lough . climb up to scrabo tower in newtownards and you can see them peeping over the holywood hills . indeed i saw them from a plane while flying over lisburn as we orientated to land at belfast international airport . of course the h & w sign means
hello and welcome
!
the harland and wolff shipyard was founded in 1862 . it was founded by edward james harland and gustav wilhelm wolff .
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botanic gardens is an important part of belfast’s victorian heritage and a popular meeting place for residents , students and tourists . it was established in 1828 by the belfast botanic and horticultural society , in response to public interest in horticulture and botany .
between 1900 and 1930 , harland and wolff was belfast ' s biggest employer by a long way . thousands of people worked in the ship yards and demand for ocean liners was huge .
at its height , harland and wolff and the ship yard in belfast became one of the biggest ship builders in the world .
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upper and lower trolleys are driven by trolley travel gears and all trackwheels can be driven or braked . a maintenance slewing crane of 13 tonnes capacity is arranged on top of the pier leg , and can directly pick up components out of the trolleys and the machinery room and lower these to the ground . the radius and lifting capacity of this crane is suitable for the heaviest machinery components .
titanic belfast is the world ' s largest titanic visitor experience and a must - see on any visit to belfast and northern ireland .
located within 300 yards of sse arena and 0 . 6 miles of titanic belfast in belfast , ryan and benjis apartment has accommodations with seating area and flat - screen tv . complimentary wifi is offered .
belfast zoological gardens is located in north belfast on the slopes of cave hill and and is home to more than 1000 animals and 150 species , many of which are in danger in their natural habitat .
wikipedia , post war period and decline , harland and wolff . available [ online ] from : urltoken [ accessed 24 february 2007 ] .
the yards now occupied 80 acres and employed 10 , 000 men , having expanded from 1 . 5 acres and 100 men in 1854 .
. with over 18 , 000 people living and working there daily , the quarter has also played host to blockbuster film and television shows with the opening of titanic studios in the old h & w paint halls , and is home to major leisure , entertainment and outdoor events .
where the students were given quick tour through the college and the new £40 million library . from there the short and scenic walk through the
from what i ' ve heard , they were grey / white initially , before getting the yellow coating we all admire today . i have to say that looking through photos of other yard ' s cranes on this thread has got me appreciating ours even more . without wanting to sound complacent or arrogant , ours easily look the best - the bright yellow colouring , complete with the iconic h & w across the top . in my mind , nothing symbolises belfast more than these two icons . my favouite view is from the front of the hss - when looking out the front viewing gallery , even before the vessel enters belfast lough , the first things you notice are the two cranes , all of 20 miles ahead of you , in the distance . it remins you that you are neary home , and i love it .
belfast ' s biggest and best halloween event and fireworks display takes place on wednesday 31 october from 18 : 00 at the slipways , titanic belfast .
step back in time with the award winning my tour talk and the new ‘titanic in belfast’ 2012 app for android and iphone . you need this app if your coming to belfast and especially if your coming to titanic belfast .
belfast cathedral is the church of st . anne . the cathedral seeks to maintain an anglican and irish ethos and identity in its daily worship , whilst providing a hospitable space for civic , community and inter - church services .
nestled in the heart of the belfast harbour estate , belfast wow is home to birds and wildlife from all over the world , and you can get up close and personal with them from the comfort of the visitor centre .
come face to face with dinosaurs , meet an ancient egyptian mummy and see modern masterpieces with a visit to the ulster museum . as northern ireland’s treasure house of the past and present , the museum is home to a rich collection of art , history and natural sciences and free to all visitors .
owned and operated by lagan legacy , this unique attraction , afloat on the beautiful banks of the river lagan behind belfast waterfront , brings the past and present together in its stunning museum , multi - use venue space and cafe .
founded in 1788 , linen hall library is a truly unique institution . as the oldest library in belfast and the last subscribing library in ireland , it has an impressive irish and local studies collection and houses a significant genealogy section .
the mac ( metropolitan arts centre ) is belfast’s brand new arts venue . they select , create and mix up music , theatre , dance and art - bringing you the very best of local and international talent under one roof .
the harland and wolff shipyard was founded in 1862 [ 1 ] . it was founded by edward james harland and gustav wilhelm wolff [ 2 ] . at its height , harland and wolff and the ship yard in belfast became one of the biggest ship builders in the world . harland and wolff own the world ' s largest dry dock , which is in belfast [ 3 ] .
we are having a recruitment drive at the moment , and that ' s across the board to include directors , welders and engineers ,
he said .
and we are initially advertising locally , to attract local workers .
the first and only segway city guided tour in the uk ! and what better way to explore all the sights of this historic area by using these futuristic and amazing machines . you will quite simply glide from one area to the next .
victoria square is belfast’s number one shopping destination with fantastic shops and eateries split over four levels and topped by an iconic dome with panoramic views across the city .
the last remaining white star line vessel , ss nomadic , has been restored to her original glory and is back home in historic hamilton dock , near titanic belfast . come on board and experience over 100 years of authentic maritime and social history .
construction began on the harland and wolff headquarters and drawing offices in the late 1800s . in addition to administrative offices , the building featured beautiful barrel - vaulted drawing offices where rms titanic and 1 , 000 other ships were conceived and designed . today it still stands in the same spot , now a b + listed building , and is home to not only titanic quarter office space but the historic drawing offices will be restored and transformed into a boutique 4 - star hotel , opening september 2017 .
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great place and location . we stayed 2 nights and did a lot of sightseeing . happy to be able to get some laundry done . trevor was awesome !
central location to explore belfast and easy access to motorway network to explore northern ireland .
there ' s historical and engineering significance , and visually , it ' s an extremely important statement as well on our entire cityscape of belfast ,
he said .
the decline has been long and cruel . in the 1970s , when the yard was struggling to compete for oil - tanker orders against the japanese and koreans , the sardonic joke was that the last ship harland and wolff delivered on time was the titanic .
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the original queen mary , launched in 1934 , was retired from service in 1967 and is now a floating exhibit and hotel in the harbor at long beach , calif .
located in the titanic quarter neighborhood in belfast , ck serviced apartments offers a garden and sun terrace . guests can enjoy the on - site restaurant , cafes and grocery store .
although ships are still built in harland and wolff today , the number of ships and people actually employed is much less than in the hay day of the early 20th century .
equal opportunity legislation has put an end to the discrimination and bigotry which once marred the shipyard ' s name . and though it has shrunk , it remains a key employer of skilled labour and a major contributor to the northern ireland economy . last autumn , as it faced a potentially crippling financial crisis , peace mediator george mitchell stepped in to patch up another agreement , between harland and wolff and one of its american customers , global marine .
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harland and wolff own the world ' s largest dry dock , which is in belfast .
tesla tycoon elon musk enjoys belfast pub grub and game of thrones set visit . . .
the crumlin road gaol is a nineteenth century grade a listed building that has recently undergone a significant restoration , and recently reopened to the public for guided tours , concerts and events .
founded by englishman sir edward james harland and german - born gustav wilhelm wolff , the company was a vitally important employer offering a plethora of jobs including welding , riveting , plumbing and painting . and during the second world war , its mighty workforce peaked at 35 , 000 .
dublin ' s james joyce bridge and the new ha ' penny bridge were also built there .
now sits was once occupied by a plater’s shed and materials store , while the site currently occupied by the odyssey pavilion and sse arena was used for coal depots during the early 1900s . the
boasting 360 degree views that stretch for miles across the city and local landmarks such as harland & wolff , parliament buildings and belfast castle , the dome is a must visit when in belfast .
i really can’t say enough good things about this apartment . first off the check it process was really easy and communication between owner was very clear . ryan met us at the door and showed us down to secure underground parking . apartment is exactly as pictured and very modern . nice spacious and included all amenities ( the washing machine was especially handy ) . comfortable bed . the location is great because it is so close to the titanic museum and about a 15 minute walk to city centre . we hired ryan for a city tour which was really awesome ! comfortable car and very informative .
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really iconic sight of belfast skyline . can be seen from many places and dominate the titanic quarter .
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but now harland and wolff is staring glumly into a future dark with uncertainty . its order book is ominously slender , and its finances are in turmoil following a series of hugely expensive disputes with customers .
the titanic belfast visitor attraction extends over nine galleries , with multiple dimensions to the exhibition . drawing together special effects , dark rides , full - scale reconstructions and innovative interactive features you will explore the titanic story in a fresh and insightful way from her conception in belfast in the early 1900s , through her construction and launch , to her infamous maiden voyage and catastrophic demise . the journey goes beyond the aftermath of the sinking , to the discovery of the wreck and continues into the present day in the ocean exploration centre .
let your imagination run riot among the unusual plants , colours , sculptures and magical features of rowallane garden .
redburn country park is set on an escarpment above belfast lough , featuring 7km of pathways and running trails .
sir thomas and lady dixon park in south belfast is one of the city ' s most popular parks .
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step back in time with the award winning my tour talk and the new ‘titanic in belfast’ 2012 app .
as the last place titanic rested on dry land , the dock is titanic’s physical ‘footprint’ in history . learn about belfast’s incredible maritime heritage and shipbuilding legacy and peer into the vast dock where titanic was fitted out .
we loved titanic quarters . the directions provided were clear and although it took a fair bit of concentration as it was complex , it was completely accurate and convenient , including key pickup . the . . .
the last order on its books is due for completion this summer and , while it is bidding for orders from the british defense ministry and shell oil , it has no work to offer its employees later this year .
set in belfast , 2625 feet from titanic belfast , titanic quarter features accommodations with free wifi and a garden .
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by margaret canning a t the institute of directors ( iod ) northern ireland annual dinner on thursday night , a photo opportunity with his mother aileen and sisters debra and judith on the stairs of titanic belfast was a . . .
with balcony views of belfast lough , this modern apartment is located in the titanic quarter and offers free private parking .
spent 3 nights recently in the europa and from our experience could certainly recommend the hotel . the location of the hotel is ideal especially for first time visitors to belfast being right in the city centre and a short walk to many of the main attractions and shopping . hotel does not have its own car park but advises on a private . . .
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they were grey . remember seeing a photo of them paint grey with yellow and black stripes on the top corners .
luxury one bed duplex apartment , with terrace , situated in the titanic quarter of belfast . free wifi and a secure underground car parking space . surrounded by major attractions , nightlife and restaurants . a great location to base yourself in belfast .
parliament buildings is home to the northern ireland assembly , the legislative body for northern ireland . open to the public between 9am and 4pm monday to friday , you can see first - hand the building and beautiful surroundings of the stormont estate .
wikipedia , early history , harland and wolff . available [ online ] from : urltoken [ accessed 24 february 2007 ] .
titanic ship no . 401 built in 1912 with a tonnage of 46329grt , a length of 883ft , a beam of 92ft 6in and a service speed of 21 knots . on 3rd april 1912 the largest ship in the world was handed over and on 10th april she commenced her maiden voyage from southampton to new york with calls at cherbourg and queenstown ( cobh ) .
once one of northern ireland ' s flagship companies , harland and wolff has slipped into decline over the past two decades .
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discover the story behind belfast’s maritime magic at the site of the thompson dry - dock and pump - house , once the beating heart of harland & wolff during the construction of the great white star liners - the britannic , olympic and titanic .
the giants managed a 4 - 3 victory in an entertaining game and the group were thrilled to get the chance to meet some of the star players and get their autographs after the game . ( thanks to trisha for arranging ! ) the chants of ‘let’s go giants’ were still ringing in our ears as we made our way backdown the m2 and home for the holidays .
this 10m ( 32ft ) salmon was commissioned in 1999 to celebrate the regeneration of the river lagan and the historic importance of the site . the outer ‘skin’ is a cladding of ceramic tiles decorated with texts and images relating to the history of belfast .
the cranes run on an 800m track which spans the dock and the block assembly area where large weldments are made up . the loaded weight of each crane - approximately 4000 tonnes - is taken on 64 special anti - friction bearing mounted wheels , each of 90 . 2cm ( 35½ins . ) diameter . twelve identical driving motors are fitted - six to each leg - so arranged to provide direct drive to 36 of the wheels . hydraulically - operated rail clamps are fitted to prevent the crane from being blown along the track in high winds . in operation each crane moves along the track at a speed of about 30 metres ( 98 feet ) per minute , although this can be increased to 45 metres ( 147 feet ) per minute for loads of 100 tonnes or less .
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harcourt is an international property development company with over 50 years experience restoring and renovating listed heritage buildings . since 2003 , harcourt has developed film studios , educational facilities , apartments and visitor attractions ; helping to make titanic quarter a prestigious new community for belfast .
one of belfast’s most iconic buildings , belfast city hall first opened its doors in august 1906 and is belfast’s civic building . it’s located in donegall square , in the heart of belfast city centre . take a free public tour and discover its fascinating history .
as the only full - time producing theatre in northern ireland , the lyric makes a unique and vital contribution to the community . its mission is to produce high - quality professional theatre that is alive to the complex cultural experience and diverse traditions of the community .
the present st . george’s market , built 1890 - 1896 , is one of belfast’s oldest attractions . the market is home to some of the finest fresh produce , with customers travelling near and far to sample the delights of friday , saturday and sunday markets .
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the musgrave ( east ) yard within harland & wolff there were four quite separate shipyards ; queens with 3 slips , the abercorn and the victoria with 4 slips each and the musgrave ( also known as east yard ) which had 6 slips . with shipbuilders being as superstitious as seafarers no slip was ever given the number 13 and no ship would ever have been launched on a friday the 13th !
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since then , it has specialised first in super - carriers , and latterly in high - tech oil rigs and support vessels . neither its expertise nor its capacity are in doubt . the company has built carriers of up to 330 , 000 tons capacity - three times the size of the qm2 specification - and claims that if anyone ever wants a million - ton ship , it could build one .
titanic belfast is a ' must see ' visit in any tour of belfast , and is now the world ' s leading visitor attraction .
sea quest the largest oil rig launched in in the uk . the first structure of this nature and size in the world to enter the water in one peice . built for bp at a cost of 3 . 5 million pounds and launched on 8 january 1966 . the entire structure was 320 feet ( 98 m ) high and weighed 150 , 000 tons , including three legs each 35 feet ( 11 m ) in diameter and 160 feet ( 49 m ) long . owing to its great size the rig occupied three slips of the musgrave yard .
mr . mugaas , the chief executive , said london did not take advantage of european union regulations permitting loans and financial support to shipbuilders .
' ' i would say that this has been a learning experience , and not only for harland & wolff , ' ' he said . and he found a sports metaphor to make his point that one defeat need not mean the end of the line for the belfast yard .
the focus of the trip then changed to more recent history as our faithful bus driver charlie mc namee treated the group to a bus tour of belfast , taking us up the nationalist falls road through the peace wall and down the loyalist shankill road and all their respective murals .
get up into the hills above belfast . experience the belfast hills , renowned for providing a unique backdrop to a thriving urban area . being so close to the city , fantastic views over belfast and beyond can be easily enjoyed at cave hill and belfast castle or black mountain .
one of belfast ' s most iconic buildings , belfast city hall first opened its doors in august 1906 and is belfast ' s civic building .
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for a couple of hours . some of the exhibits on display included a retrospective of the artist william scott’s work and an ancient egyptian mummy .
belfast castle estate is adjacent to one of the highest spots in belfast , cave hill , offering great views over belfast lough and the city .
with a history of shipbuilding dating back as far as the late 1700s , queen’s island has a rich and unique maritime heritage , preserved today by the charity titanic foundation ltd . occupied for the most part by renowned shipbuilders harland and wolff , the island has witnessed colossal growth , survived a blitz , overcome a gradual decline in industry and is once again experiencing rapid development as part of one of the world’s largest urban - waterfront regeneration projects .
clifton house , formerly the poor house , was built in 1774 by the belfast charitable society and is one of belfast ' s most historic buildings .
it once employed tens of thousands of people and was one of the world ' s shipbuilding jewels as well as the beating heart of east belfast .
it now employs hundreds , working across a range of areas including wind farm projects and oil rig refits - with the massive byford dolphin currently docked .
pickie funpark has always been one of northern ireland’s top attractions with an 18 - hole mini - golf course , giant pedal swans and children’s . . .
the belfast yard is hoping against hope that the final decision will be swayed by cunard ' s long - and marketable - tradition of british - built liners . the problem is that harland and wolff has not built a passenger vessel since the launch of the supremely beautiful p & o liner canberra in 1961 .
thus , said a spokesman for northern ireland ' s industrial development board , the principal government agency seeking domestic investment , while 1 , 745 jobs may be lost at the shipyard , 1 , 000 jobs have been promised this year alone by canadian and japanese companies setting up internet and telecommunications - related businesses .
one of our premier tourist attractions must have top notch places to eat , and titanic belfast certainly does . everything is freshly made with the finest local ingredients .
the boland class along with their class teacher mr white and sna trisha redmond enjoyed a nice end to the first term with an activity packed trip to belfast .
aunt sandra’s candy factory is nationally renowned as one of the finest purveyors of hand made chocolates , fudge and boiled sweets , made from 100 year old recipes .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a little slice of northern irish humour ( edited for those of a sensitive nature ) - i was once told ireland looks like a baby - the legs in cork and kerry , the arms in mayo and galway , the belly button at dublin ( a reminent of the chord attached to britain ) and the brains in the north . sums it up well i think . . . .
after their trip , guests tell us about their stay . we check for naughty words and verify the authenticity of all guest reviews before adding them to our site .
and yet the company , now part of the norwegian based fred olsen conglomerate , remains part of belfast ' s culture , as much as its skyline . in its glory days it employed 15 , 000 men , turning out warships , cargo vessels and passenger liners for the world . now the workforce is less than 2 , 000 .
no 1 has a height from the rail tracks to the underside of the bridge girders of 70m ( 230 ft ) and an overall height of 96m ( 316 ft ) .
the existing slipways in the north yard ( nos . 1 - 4 shown on the map below ) were re - engineered to create two larger slipways ( nos . 2 and 3 shown in the revised plans from 1911 below ) which would be big enough and strong enough to accommodate the huge , heavy hulls of olympic and titanic . sir william arrol & co . of glasgow was also commissioned to build the enormous arrol gantry over the new slipways , weighing almost 6000 tonnes once completed . this remained in use until the 1960s .
dear zena1 , thank you for posting such a positive review of your recent stay at the europa hotel . i am delighted you had such a fantastic stay with ourselves and received the full service the europa has to offer . i have passed on your fantastic feedback to our staff . we are so happy you enjoyed your visit to belfast and . . .
however harland and wolff spokesman ali minium congratulated the pair saying “we should have seen the signs sooner really . they are the most outrageously fabulous couple on queens island after all ! ”
the ni war memorial opened in 2007 and replaced an earlier building , memorial house , which was situated in waring street on a site which was bombed during the blitz in 1941 .
with a combined lifting capacity of over 1 , 600 tonnes , one of the largest in the world , locals say the h & w initials stand for ' hello and welcome ' .
the dock cafe opened its doors in march 2012 and has gone from strength to strength with a honest box policy , it offers a place to relax at a very low cost for everyone .
titanic belfast is the world’s largest titanic visitor experience and a must see when in belfast . it is located in titanic quarter , right beside the historic site of this world famous ship’s construction .
established in 1895 , the grand opera house is northern ireland’s premier theatre , presenting a range of drama , dance , opera , comedy , musicals , pantomime , family and west end shows .
located in belfast , just 100 yards from sse arena , titanic quarters provides accommodations with a garden , a terrace and free wifi . this property is a 12 - minute walk from the waterfront hall .
even though harland and wolff is no longer one of the world ' s great ship building firms , the dry dock at queen ' s island is to be preserved , it was announced on thursday .
special devices ensure that the legs move at identical speeds , thus preventing skewing . if , however , the legs should become more than 250 mm out of step the drive to all wheels is automatically cut off . in the skewed position only the sheer leg can be moved until correct alignment is regained with the pier leg . extensive safety devices and electrical interlocks are provided for all movements and operating conditions .
even in its high - tech glory , harland and wolff seems an anachronism in british industry , which has long since lost the taste for heavy engineering projects which cannot hope to turn a fast buck .
this is a preferred partner property . it ' s committed to giving guests a positive experience with its excellent service and great value . this property might pay urltoken a little more to be in this program .
built in 1911 , nomadic provides the story of titanic ' s little sister , the only tangible surviving link with the world ' s most famous ship and the last white star line vessel in the world .
enjoy outstanding beauty within easy reach of belfast city centre at barnett demesne , located next to malone house . it is home to an annual spring fair , which offers music , entertainment and wildlife displays each april .
the problem is that the particular skills needed to assemble and fit out a luxury liner faded out of the shrinking british shipbuilding industry more than a generation ago . the john brown yard on the clyde , which launched the original queen mary in 1936 , is no more than a memory . the yards of the tyne , the wear and the mersey have gone the same way , as have most of the great royal naval dockyards .
cunard spoke of ' ' a majestic trans - atlantic ship recalling the grandeur and sumptuousness of the titanic . ' ' the queen mary 2 would be cunard ' s first new ship in 30 years , surpassing in style and size its current flagship , the queen elizabeth 2 . cunard has said that the new vessel , to be launched in 2003 , would be ' ' strikingly different from modern hotels on the water . ' '
but of course , a decline in shipbuilding in the 1950s meant less work in its traditional field - with harland & wolff subsequently diversifying into sectors such as renewable energy , while still working in ship design and repair .
prime minister tony blair rejected the criticism , saying : ' ' we did everything we could . we are looking at what other help and assistance we can give , but we did everything we legitimately could . ' '
now known as titanic quarter , in recognition of both the size of the area and the city’s most famous ship , rms titanic , the region has seen a renewed vigour with over 3 . 5 million tourists visiting the
all this came from humble roots , when in 1791 , william ritchie from ayrshire in scotland arrived in belfast with a crew of 10 men , some shipbuilding apparatus and materials to start a shipyard . his first ship , the 300 ton hibernian , was launched one year later , kick - starting the shipbuilding industry on the island which would eventually lead to the rise of one of the largest shipyards in the world – harland and wolff .
anvil point the last ship to be built at harland and wolff set sail from queen ' s island on saturday the 22nd march 2003 at approx 5 : 30pm , ending almost 150 years of shipbuilding at the famous yard .


shiftgig connects hourly workers and businesses through a mobile application .

aiming to streamline and modernize the traditional staffing industry , it develops an employment-related mobile application , where employees can claim jobs in real-time .

shiftgig 's product and business model have been compared with that of both linkedin and uber .

the company was listed among business insider magazine 's " 25 coolest new businesses in chicago " .

shiftgig was also included in cio 's " 10 hot social media startups to watch " .

shiftgig

glassdoor has 177 shiftgig reviews submitted anonymously by shiftgig employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if shiftgig is right for you .
© 2011 - 2018 shiftgig , inc . all rights reserved . shiftgig and the shiftgig logo are the registered trademarks of shiftgig , inc . bullpen , shiftgigx , work now , and the shiftgig logo are the trademarks of shiftgig , inc . shiftgig , inc . , the bullpen , inc . and shiftgigx , llc are equal opportunity employers .
meet amanda , shiftgig server and full - time mom . learn how shiftgig works with her busy schedule :
shiftgig ' s latest funding round in january 2017 was reported to be $ 20 m . in total , shiftgig has raised $ 56 m
shiftgig is the smartest and easiest way for hourly workers and businesses to connect .
i applied online . i interviewed at shiftgig ( new york , ny ) .
glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it ' s like to work at shiftgig , including salaries , reviews , office photos , and more . this is the shiftgig company profile . all content is posted anonymously by employees working at shiftgig .
i haven’t used my app in a while . can i still work for shiftgig ?
shiftgig raises $ 10m entirely from chicago investors to build a linkedin for . . .
ask a question about working or interviewing at shiftgig . our community is ready to answer .
shiftgig , the linkedin style startup , has raised $ 3 million in funding . ( handout )
i applied online . i interviewed at shiftgig ( new york , ny ( us ) ) .
big month for big hires : groupon , shiftgig and others welcome new execs in . . .
what it does : shiftgig finds contract workers to fill job postings from restaurants , hotels and retail industry .
user experience designer shiftgig job locations ar - b category design type . . more information about this job :
als / ct - on - demand - app - shiftgig - growth - bsi - 20160307 - story . html
shiftgig is an online professional network for the service industry , connecting service industry people with each other and to businesses .
launched in chicago in january 2012 , shiftgig has since expanded nationwide . [ 9 ] in october 2012 , shiftgig raised $ 3 million in its series a round of funding . [ 10 ] in november 2014 , shiftgig raised $ 10 million from garland funds ( of huron consulting group ) , among other chicago - based investors . [ 11 ] in march 2015 , shiftgig expanded to dallas , texas , [ 12 ] with shots of expanding to 3 to 5 more cities dans le year . [ 11 ]
our
beyond the job
blog series gives you insight into what it ' s like to work at shiftgig . learn about different positions at the company , our culture , and more ! today we ' re featuring mike schaefer , sales director here at shiftgig .
shiftgig uses technology to connect businesses like yours with thousands of pre - qualified , ready - to - work professionals who we call specialists .
tell us who you really liked and who you would prefer not to see again . shiftgig tailors your team over time based on your feedback .
we’re looking for the right people to join shiftgig’s team in our downtown chicago headquarters . we want people who are energized by our mission and product - - people with the right skills and the drive to make shiftgig the best - in - class technology provider in the human capital management ecosystem .
probably because the margins on recruiting individual service workers are lower , shiftgig doesn’t charge businesses to post positions on its site . shiftgig charges for an on demand hiring feature , and said on its website it has plans in the future to charge for premium features like sponsored job listings and background checks .
nal ? � ? ( it is not always what you get with
other agency
when you are at these high volume events ) . shiftgig management
the shiftgig app is a powerful tool designed with simplicity in mind . behind the scenes , we use predictive intelligence to deliver quality results and dependable fill rates .
shiftgig has 8k number of facebook likes . the number of likes has grown 3 . 2 % month over month and grown 7 . 9 % quarter over quarter
shiftgig has been wonderful in supporting my career growth . i work with great leaders who invest their time in teaching me new skills and placing me into job functions that align with my strengths . during my time at shiftgig , i’ve worked in many different departments and each time i feel supported in my knowledge and growth within the company .
ing the events and the shiftgig staff , danielle , michael , zhelka and the others were awesome > > thanks . i hope to do more in the next year !
jose , one of our shiftgig specialists , enjoys being a brand ambassador because it allows him to create experiences that impact people . learn more about jose in this article .
^ jump up to : a b harris , melissa ( 31 october 2012 ) . “shiftgig raises $ 3 million in funding” . chicago tribune . retrieved 14 november 2012 .
shiftgig has 4 . 8k number of twitter followers . the number of followers has decrease 0 . 2 % month over month and grown 0 . 6 % quarter over quarter
“i needed extra money , but had to work outside the hours at my primary job . shiftgig helped a great deal by letting me pick the days and shifts that worked for me . plus you ' re paid every week ! if you need extra cash and have a good amount of skills , shiftgig ' s the way to go ! ”
at shiftgig , we value the importance of giving back . through our corporate social responsibility program , full - time employees receive two paid days a year to volunteer with the charity of their choice . additionally , each quarter , shiftgig employees nominate an organization to support through donated time . it’s our way of taking small steps toward a greater good .
our over 2 , 700 clients range from start - ups to enterprise operations . they rely on shiftgig to easily fill and manage both long - term and temporary labor needs .
n to shiftgig . they didn ' t give me a chance to defend , actually they suspended me . so be aware , if something happens you will be the only responsibl
thank you for sharing your experience with shiftgig . we are committed to creating a collaborative , innovative and welcoming environment so it’s disappointing to know we’ve dropped the ball here . your
thank you for sharing your experience with shiftgig . it’s our goal to create a collaborative , innovative and welcoming environment . your feedback has been shared with our leadership team . we are
on november 24 , 2015 , shiftgig inc . announced its $ 22 million in series b venture funding , led by renren inc . to expand its mobile marketplace . [ 13 ]
^ jump up to : a b pletz , john . “shiftgig’s talent pool provides a ready bullpen for events” . crain communications inc . crain’s business chicago . retrieved 9 april 2015 .
jump up ^ kolodny , lora ( 2015 - 11 - 24 ) . “shiftgig raises $ 22 million to match hourly workers to local jobs” . retrieved 2015 - 11 - 24 .
# icymi @ trustedherd has ranked shiftgig the # 2 event staffing agency in the u . s . based on 6400 + anonymous worker reviews . # staffing # gigeconomy # experientialmarketing urltoken
shiftgig is a great way to enrichen your work experience in different job trainings . i ' m a dishwasher , server , banquette setup and barista . i love these great jobs .
shiftgig enables people to distinguish themselves with profiles that include past work history and education but also reflect their personalities , photos , evidence of their social influence and recommendations from colleagues and former managers . this approach makes it easy for businesses to screen to find the perfect hire quickly and efficiently . shiftgig also provides the latest information on industry news , events and local promotions .
why it ' s cool : shiftgig makes it easier for applicants to find service industry jobs—from sommeliers and pastry chefs to general managers—and for chicago - based companies to find the right employees .
s where i could quickly learn almost any basic or normal job that dosent require an depth knowledge or technical training ( aka most gigs ? ) . so what ' s up shiftgig ?
thanks for sharing your great feedback ! we love hearing from specialists like you when they have a great experience using shiftgig . your feedback has been shared with our internal team so we can
there has been some scrutiny around how thorough background and credit checks are sometimes for workers in the on - demand economy . in the case of shiftgig , the company goes through its own set of qualification and vetting checks , which also change over time as businesses rate employees ( termed “specialists” in shiftgig’s marketplace ) after each shift worked that ultimately result in reliability scores for workers .
feedback has been shared with our leadership team . please be assured that we want shiftgig to be a workplace where employees’ voices are heard and we’re working toward a more transparent , communicative culture .
shiftgig is committed to the communities we serve through ongoing partnerships with charitable and civic organizations . twice per year , employees are given a full day off to volunteer at a charity of their choice .
the company was listed among business insiders magazine’s “25 coolest new businesses in chicago” . [ 3 ] shiftgig was also included in cio ‘ s “10 hot social media startups to watch” . [ 4 ]
shiftgig , an online job finding network for service workers , has just raised a $ 10 million round of investment . shiftgig has over 1 million registered members and 25 , 000 businesses using its site . this latest round of funding comes entirely from chicago - based investors , led by the garland funds with participation from kgc capital , chicago ventures , drw ventures , firestarter fund , and corazon capital .
before earning revenue from those possible premium services , shiftgig will be using its latest round of capital to expand its sales and operations teams , reinvesting in improving its job board and expand to new cities .
the idea is that businesses connect on to the shiftgig platform to fill any number of shifts . the marketplace accommodates both small businesses needing to fill one or a few shifts , as well as large events looking for 200 people . in all cases , businesses pay for every shift worked , and shiftgig takes a percentage fee , which varies depending on the size of the order and size of the client .
shiftgig connects businesses with the on - demand workforce through our industry - leading mobile platform . our technology provides financial opportunity for hourly workers seeking flexibility and choice , while delivering powerful business agility to companies .
^ jump up to : a b loizos , connie ( november 6 , 2012 ) . “with a fresh $ 3 million , shiftgig builds a blue collar jobs network” . pehub . retrieved 14 november 2012 .
shiftgig was once a place that had a group of people excited about the gig economy , people passionate about making a difference in specialist lives and in general shaking up the staffing world . now - shiftgig ( what is left of it ) is filled with unmotivated individuals , who have no idea what they are doing . the people left are clearly taking a note from the ceo and acting like they’re doing something but , in reality , they are just waiting till the clock hits four ( yes , 4 pm ) to leave . wade has taken a great thing , and single handily ran it into the ground . there are a few good people left , but pretty soon with wade ' s leadership , shiftgig will be no more . there’s little hope that someone will take action and step up to do what’s best for shiftgig .
on top of those checks , shiftgig also handles weekly payments to specialists as well as their benefits : lou said that the company is compliant with the affordable care act and insured with the appropriate worker’s compensation policies .
^ jump up to : a b reim , garrett . “shiftgig raises $ 10m entirely from chicago investors to build a linkedin for service jobs” . built in chicago . built in chicago . retrieved 9 april 2015 .
at shiftgig we care about our employees well - being . get moving with one of our quality health and wellness campaigns . check out a yoga session , or learn to make a healthy snack with a certified dietician .
our hard - working team is one of our greatest strengths . based on your feedback , it’s apparent we need to take a closer look at how our leadership team can be more transparent . we want shiftgig to be
shiftgig — a startup that has built a mobile platform for hourly workers to pick up shifts at local businesses looking for staff to fill gaps in their schedules ( shiftgig = shift work + gig economy ) — is today announcing that it has raised $ 20 million to scale up its marketplace . this round , a series c , includes a mix of new and existing backers — drw venture capital , fj labs , ggv capital , kdwc ventures , and an affiliate of william blair — and brings the total raised by shiftgig to $ 56 million . the company is not disclosing its valuation but sources tell us it’s around $ 150 million post - money .
^ jump up to : a b pletz , john ( november 14 , 2014 ) . “shiftgig raises $ 10 million from holdren , kiphart” . crain communication , inc . crain’s chicago business . retrieved 10 april 2015 .
here ' s a look at some of our product and engineering team members at # aws community day in chicago ! if you ' re at the event , be sure to say hi to the shiftgig team . urltoken
shiftgig , a local technology company building a linkedin - style online community for service workers , has raised $ 3 million in its series a funding round from investors , including i2a fund , firestarter fund and red barn investments .
“i’ve had the opportunity to expand my skills , meet and work with new companies , and because of the variety of jobs that shiftgig offers , i feel more ambitious , confident and eager to continue to do my best . ”
i read all the bad reviews and i am surprised that you guys are going through this . i have mad alot of money through shiftgig and have never had a payment issue . the only issue i have is not seeing sh
shiftgig is actively seeking an user experience designer who has excellent analytical skills and limitless creativity . the ux designer will work with the creative director , designers , product managers , and engineering to help plan and execute strategic directions for projects . this position reports directly to the creative director ( who reports to the vp of product ) . the successful candidate will work on all shiftgig ? s current projects initiatives and future visioning , innovation ux ideation and user experience design .
best for anyone looking to make their own schedule with a busy life as i do . you many customer service options to work in due to many companys doing collaborations with shiftgig . make great connections to even get a permanent job .
the vibe at shiftgig is energetic , fun and welcoming . with every employee working towards the same goal , it creates a high level of energy and motivation . i leave the office every day feeling like i ' ve accomplished something great .
at shiftgig , there are many opportunities for employees to step up , take on more responsibility and show off their talents . because of this , i’ve had the opportunity to grow professionally and gain new skills in a short amount of time .
enabled by technology to a technology serving the staffing space . you’re also right that customers ( and specialists ) are everything . the recent changes to our team , product and strategy are meant to reflect shiftgig’s focus on customer and specialist growth . it’s clear you’re passionate about shiftgig and we thank you for giving us candid , thoughtful feedback . we’re sorry we disappointed you and your review has been shared with our leadership team . we wish you luck in whatever you choose to do next .
i have loved shiftgig since i started i’ve done an amazing job have allstars i have employers asking to hire me full time . well i took a job for them out here in tampa on 2 / 23 . i went to work and the
worked my first shiftgig event at cisco live in orlando . wasn ' t sure what i was getting into , but after the initial training day ( i am sure they didn ' t know what they were getting in me ! ) loved work
collaboration between departments at shiftgig is huge . in my role , there are always problems to be solved and i often need help from other departments . from payroll to product to sales , i ' ve never encountered resistance when asking for help .
at shiftgig , there are many opportunities for employees to step up , take on more responsibility and show off their talents . because of this , i’ve had the opportunity to grow professionally and gain new skills in a short amount of time .
the vibe at shiftgig is energetic , fun and welcoming . with every employee working towards the same goal , it creates a high level of energy and motivation . i leave the office every day feeling like i ' ve accomplished something great .
for now , this puts shiftgig well ahead of two notable competitors in terms of funds raised for growth . others in the same space include workpop and wonolo , both of which have raised under $ 10 million to date ( see here and here ) .
when you add in the hourly workers not part of the service industry that number grows even larger . unsurprisingly , shiftgig has competition . workpop , a los angeles - based startup raised $ 7 million in september to build a job - listing site for hourly workers .
the team here at shiftgig thrives on taking ownership of our roles to solve real - world problems . we ' re compassionate in our work and motivated to
do whatever it takes
to meet the needs of our workers , our clients , and our teammates .
shiftgig is the smartest and easiest way for the hourly workforce and businesses to connect . they ' re a mobile marketplace that fully vets and background checks workers , which they call specialists , who can then pick up shifts on their mobile app and work when , where , and for whom they want . their clients love their platform because they can manage their temporary labor directly from the shiftgig business app . they ' re currently working with the biggest brands in the food service , hospitality , retail , warehouse and experiential marketing industries .
the team here at shiftgig thrives on taking ownership of our roles to solve real - world problems . we ' re compassionate in our work and motivated to
do whatever it takes
to meet the needs of our workers , our clients , and our teammates .
shiftgig’s raise comes about a year after renren , the “facebook of china” , led shiftgig’s last round of $ 22 million . since then , the company has been seeing “solid growth” , in the words of eddie lou , the ceo and co - founder . today , there are some 1 , 500 businesses and 15 , 000 workers using the platform , which has customers across all 50 states but with a concentration in about 12 cities . ( the plan will “certainly” be to use some of the funding to scale that out even more , lou said . )
“i ' ve really loved working for shiftgig - it ' s actually changed my life . i live in houston and my children live in the san francisco bay area , so it has allowed me to maintain my freedom from a 9 to 5 and still make a living . ”
shiftgig has competitive start - up salaries . we offer comprehensive health benefits , and cover 90 % of dental and 100 % of vision coverage . all full - time employees enjoy unlimited pto , and our office boasts gym access , stocked snacks and drinks , and a coffee bar !
shiftgig is the smartest and easiest way for the hourly workforce and businesses to connect . we ' re a mobile marketplace that fully vets and background checks workers , which we call specialists , who can then pick up shifts on our mobile app and work when , where . . .
shiftgig is the smartest and easiest way for the hourly workforce and businesses to connect . we ? re an on - demand , mobile marketplace working with the biggest brands in the food service , hospitality , retail and warehouse industries . our workers , which we call specialists , use our mobile app to claim shifts and choose when , where and for who they want to work . our clients streamline their business by managing their temporary labor directly from the shiftgig app . in addition , we pre - qualify all of our specialists , including a background check and skills assessment .
my account due to me not making a shift or calling in , due to my finances at the time . perhaps if shiftgig s pay people on time as much as they want people to be on time than it’ll be a better company . great concept but wrong people running it .
would not recommend . not enough work options - what you do have gets claimed quick . bulk of my negative rating comes from my experience with their help desk . if you get a timely response , they will not really answer your question or if they do , speak of what they will do to help . i found the idea of shiftgig - you getting to pick from a host of gigs with you in control , does not match up with the reality . there was nothing easy , fun or smart about shiftgig . it was a waste of time setting it up .
i ' ve been with shiftgig a couple of weeks , it ' s ok to me . . . only i don ' t care for ( like working for uber or lyft ) you have to email any concerns to them and what for someone to get back . . . . pa
“shiftgig is the largest and best temporary staffing startup in the world , ” said fabrice grinda , co - founder of fj labs , in an email to us . “it’s clearly going in the direction of history as more work is being ‘gigified’ as employers and employees both seek greater flexibility . ”
shiftgig was conceived by entrepreneurs eddie lou , jeff pieta and sean casey , seeking to build a community for a user segment by existing professional networks . [ 5 ] [ 6 ] in the past , craigslist or directly inquiring business by business . [ 5 ] shiftgig seeks to consolidate the posting and search for jobs in this segment , offering immediate results . [ 7 ] in this fashion , the company falls dans le definition of an on - demand mobile service , defined as “qui aggregate consumer demand apps on mobile devices , purpose that fulfill demand through offline services . ” [ 8 ]
in contrast to linkedin’s professional focus , shiftgig concentrates entirely on the service industries . jobs listed on the site vary from full - time to part - time to temporary . restaurant jobs , like line cook , waitress and dishwasher , are common , but the site also lists hospitality and retail jobs .
“the shiftgig team continues to execute against its plan by winning enterprise clients that utilize its technology to connect with hourly labor , ” said jeff richards , managing partner , ggv capital , in a statement . “the company is scaling across multiple verticals and proving that one platform can be winner take all . ”
today , shiftgig works with a wide range of business clients mainly in the food service , hotel , retail , logistics , warehouse , and experiential marketing spaces , lou said . interestingly , it’s also been approached by uber to use the platform but currently does not provide drivers among its staff , lou said .
founded on the simple premise that many people want flexible work opportunities that fit into the rest of their lives , shiftgig builds technology that is focused on one thing : connecting people who want hourly work with companies who need them . we know everyone benefits when people are empowered to better balance their work with their life .
a 17 - year veteran of the hr industry , lori oversees all marketing functions for shiftgig including digital and recruitment marketing , public relations , content development and social media . bringing 15 years of combined sales and digital marketing leadership from careerbuilder , lori is passionate about helping people find the right opportunities to better their lives .
one of my best work experiences . if you can work for shiftgig , do . it ' s not ideal for full - time work because they don ' t have enough gigs for steady work , but the pay is high for the field , the management is great , and the hours are up to you .
need an extra bartender for your event tonight ? the site also has an on demand temporary job hiring feature , called worknow . for a fee businesses can hire service workers for temporary gigs from shiftgig’s network . worknow is also a mobile app that notifies prospective temporary workers of possible gigs and can function as a time card .
as ceo , wade directs shiftgig as one of the leading mobile platforms in the gig economy . in his former role as the vp of talent solutions at linkedin , he managed thousands of employees globally and billions in revenue . his leadership and expertise allows him to impact a new set of the workforce , the gig economy .
as cto , rick leads shiftgig’s technology strategy , operations , and platform management . for more than a decade , bowman has built a distinguished career with leadership roles at deloitte consulting , hellowallet , and morningstar , where he served as chief software officer leading software engineering practices for more than 1 , 200 technologists across the globe .
michael leads shiftgig in product strategy and development . with a background in building and managing award - winning , user - focused products , he has worked at hellowallet , and npr , and served as a start - up advisor and mentor . he holds a bachelor ' s and jd from the university of texas at austin .
as vp of finance , jack brings 16 + years of operational experience to shiftgig . previously , jack worked as cfo of channel clarity , and has also held financial services positions at lasalle bank , and william blair & company . he received his bachelor ' s from boston college and mba from the kellogg school of management .
a place where hard - working people like you know their contributions matter not only to our specialists and customers , but to leadership as well . it’s clear you’re passionate about shiftgig and we thank you for giving us candid , thoughtful feedback . we’re sorry we disappointed you and your review has been shared with our leadership team .
collaboration between departments at shiftgig is huge . as a client success manager , there are always problems to be solved and i often need the help of many different departments to do so . from payroll to product to sales , i’ve never encountered resistance when asking for help which makes getting my job done that much easier .
each quarter , product and engineering steps away from our traditional sprint cycle and participates in a special innovation sprint . we embrace exploring new ideas that could impact the future of shiftgig . we hold a pitch session , form teams , and a week later , demo our results . oftentimes , our prototypes and learnings inform our roadmap .
more than 100 , 000 people and more than 4 , 000 businesses have created accounts on the site launched in january . shiftgig is already operating in the chicago , los angeles and new york markets and recently expanded to houston , washington , d . c . , miami , philadelphia and minneapolis , co - founder eddie lou said .
jose , of phoenix , az , isn ' t your ordinary brand ambassador and shiftgig specialist , in fact , he happens to be one of the 2017 brand ambassadors of the year . jose has been a brand ambassador for about six years and first heard about the role from a friend who owned a flower business , and managed small events on the side .
i am a new employee with shiftgig in orlando , and what an experience this has been . i worked registration for ciscolive 2018 ! ! ! the ppl who i have worked with as well as supervisors i worked with because that is what they have done with my group , not lord over but worked with us to provide the client a professional and efficient convention .
vikki leads shiftgig’s talent acquisition , culture , benefits , employee relations and compensation as vp of hr . after 10 + years at randstad providing hr consultation to business leaders and teams across the midwest , vikki has spent the last 7 years helping build world - class hr teams within chicago startups . she holds a bachelor ' s degree from university of st . francis and a bachelors in education from depaul university .
with over 12 years of sales leadership and more than a decade in human capital management experience , chuck has excelled as a sales strategist demonstrating his ability to create and lead teams who consistently outperform the market . joining shiftgig to oversee all sales functions , he holds a master’s degree from the johns hopkins university , mba from northwestern university ' s kellogg school of management , and an undergraduate degree from michigan state university .
shiftgig sends work to you according to rank . so if any other employees work more than you do they will send them the shifts that have better pay , hours and locations . which i feel is unfair but i could only do part time hours during the school years because i have children and i teach during the school year . i ' m not sent the best shifts ; the shifts are either too far for little pay or in the city with the decent pay but with less hours . if you get a shift with decent pay , decent hours and good location the client is extremely rude and unprofessional . i would feel as if i was working in plantation owners kitchen . short breaks and very little time for bathroom breaks as well . i have complained and sent emails to shiftgig about the treatment received from some of clients but it hasn ' t made much difference .
very poor communication , no direction , & uncertainty constantly looms leaving everyone in a state of anxiety and extreme discomfort . after a poorly executed
reorganization
of the company , we ' re seemingly worse off , doing far less revenue , way worse customer net promoter scores , zero customer service at a local level and have zero tools to compete with our main competitors : staffing companies . oh right , but shiftgig isn ' t a staffing company !
shiftgig went from a mediocre staffing agency with a pretty subpar product . now we ' re just a mediocre technology company that performs subpar in the staffing world . this identity crisis has crippled almost everything . leadership needs to take responsibility , admit it ' s faults , and probably change a few people at the top . sales leadership is a complete failure , and the constant little re - shuffles and re - configuring constantly lead to more lost clients and the aforementioned nosedive in revenue . someone needs to address these failures and come up with an actual plan to fix them , or else everyone will keep leaving .
there is a lot of infrastructure in place today , but it wasn’t always this way . lou tells me that shiftgig got its start in 2012 as a web - only social network co - founded by lou along with jeff pieta ( who is now chief growth officer ) and sean casey ( who is now chief data officer ) , connecting small businesses in the service industry with people seeking full - time and part - time jobs . “we were free to use , ” he said , which helped the platform scale “exponentially . ” ( free has a habit of doing that . ) at its peak , it connected 1 . 4 million job seekers with over 30 , 000 small businesses .
couple good supervisors . however , most are not experienced . they do not have people skills . they walk by you and look the other way . how ironic . you must drop shifts to see other shifts that are available . however , when you drop a shift , it will be held against you . again , the low - level supervisors really do not know how to handle situations and people . two tables full of people and no one knows who they are . one employee was able to scam the company with overtime because on on was paying attention . other people could not get enough hours . this is reported to supervisors but they really do not care . poor cisco , paid 1 / 4 million dollars for staff . shiftgig could have hired adults instead of kids .
last fall , i’ve spent time researching mobile on - demand services that we are able to access with a push of a button . “on - demand mobile services” ( odms ) is a broad category so i believe it’s important to start with a definition . my friend
defines odms as “apps which aggregate consumer demand on mobile devices , but fulfill that demand through offline services . ” i’ll take it one step further :
odms deliver a “closed loop” experience by collapsing the value chain including discovery , order , payment , fulfillment ( offline but within owned network ) and confirmation . in the pre - mobile era we had to search yellow pages ( or google ) , find a provider , call or email that provider , wait to connect with someone , schedule a convenient time , hope the provider arrives on time , and then pay with a credit card or cash . thankfully , a new array of mobile services removes all of that friction we were used to experiencing . welcome to the uberification of our service economy :
the “uberification” of our economy signals a fundamental shift in the way that local services are discovered and fulfilled . in my research i’ve mapped more than 70 startups redefining the segments listed above . since 2009 , venture capitalists have poured more than $ 1 . 75b into these companies ( excluding groupon , seamless and opentable ) and i expect this will continue to grow . this funding figure is conservative since crunchbase , mattermark , and cb insights don’t have complete funding information for each company . additionally , i excluded more than 30 “online to offline services” that haven’t launched a mobile app but likely will in the next twelve to eighteen months . some of these services include makespace , paintizen , boxbee , moveloot , homejoy , manicube , and blue apron . finally , i decided to exclude apps where demand is fulfilled digitally such as doctor on demand .
despite being three to four years into the odms trend , i’m super bullish on the road that lies ahead and i believe there are still plenty of untapped opportunities . for example , apps are emerging in categories like elderly care , medicine , real estate , and security . additionally , there are a variety of b2b services emerging such as office cleaning , supply replenishment , tech support , and fleet management . finally , a sub - trend i’m observing is startups that create “infrastructure” to power a variety of odms . one company that comes to mind is yc - backed rickshaw which solves delivery and logistics for a number of the services in the above market map .
there are common challenges when building an odms such as offline logistical complexity , low barriers to entry , customer acquisition at scale , and aggregation of regional / local supply ( see exec and cherry for case studies ) . but the entrepreneurs and companies that overcome these challenges await numerous multi - billion dollar market opportunities . the u . s . economy is largely driven by the service sector so it’s only a matter of time until all of our services are accessible via our mobile devices . the implications are huge for large companies like google and craigslist as well as thousands of regional and local service providers . hundreds of billions of dollars of enterprise value are up for grabs . at rre , we have been spending a lot of time thinking about odms and would to hear how you think the space will evolve over the next 12 to 24 months .
the company also announced that ken pelletier , the former chief technology officer of groupon , has signed on as an investor and technical adviser to the start - up .
the reason i started the company is because i saw a statistic : among 18 - to 22 - year - olds , 98 percent are on facebook but only 13 percent are on linkedin ,
said lou , who is a former general partner at chicago venture capital firm oca ventures .
so why is that ? it ' s because they have jobs . they don ' t have careers . if you have a career , you ' re on linkedin . if you don ' t , you ' re not there .
stuart larkins , managing director of the i2a fund , said there isn ' t a lot of number - crunching done while reviewing this early of an investment . instead , the strength of lou ' s team , which includes co - founders jeff pieta and sean casey , is what persuaded him to invest .
i would also say their track record for the first year is proof of concept ,
larkins said .
a hundred thousand people signing up is not an insignifcant amount of individuals .
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with its burgeoning restaurant scene and its vibrant startup culture , chicago is one of the best places in the country to start a business .
we spoke to friends and colleagues and polled readers to bring you the coolest and most innovative new businesses in the windy city .
the winners , listed in alphabetical order , have all opened since ( or just before ) fall 2011 and include a donut shop run by an alum of one of chicago ' s best restaurants , a personal shopping service , an argentinian empanada shop and a startup that ' s changing how the service industry hires .
thanks to our readers who took the time to send us nominations . abby rogers and rob wile contributed to the list .
why it ' s cool : au cheval ' s not your typical diner , with dishes like a fried homemade bologna sandwich , duck heart hash and a pork porterhouse . they also have an excellent burger .
what it is : the one - year - old company buys and sells recycled interiors , furnishings , and art . their specialty , however , is pillows—hand - painted and custom - made .
why it ' s cool : the founders of bethie b . are meg goldberg and beth barron , a mother and daughter
pillow - creating design team
with an eye for the unique , creative and custom made .
what it is : a personal shopping service founded in november 2011 that strives to give women more free time .
why it ' s cool : the cakestylists work with clients ' different budgets , work dress codes , and preferred designers . you can also buy cakestyle as a gift for friends and family .
what it is : a custom sales software company that helps chicago - based online businesses build their online stores by making it easier for their customers to personalize , visualize , buy and share products in different colors , styles , and designs .
why it ' s cool : citizen made gives its primarily local and small business clients the option for their customers to share their purchases through social media in order to increase brand awareness .
why it ' s cool : one of the chefs is an alum of l2o , one of chicago ' s most renowned fine dining restaurants . the donuts , ranging from classics like boston creme pie to more arcane flavors like banofee pie and candied maple bacon , are so popular that the owners are reportedly contemplating a second location .
daily specials like s ' more donuts and rum glazed pineapple fritters make each visit a bit different . there are vegan and gluten - free options available every day .
what it is : a micro - restaurant named one of the best in chicago .
why it ' s cool : el has only one seating a night at a communal table . dining here is an interactive experience , with each of the dishes explained by the chef and his small staff . if the idea of eating with 16 or so strangers makes you nervous , the food might convince you otherwise .
recent inventive dishes include
cherries
( pictured ; which are made from sea grapes , katsuobushi and umeboshi ) and
french fries and ice cream
( potato with leeks and vanilla ) .
why it ' s cool : rather than a lonely deer hunter machine at the back of bar , emporium has a huge variety of classic arcade games from the simpsons to galaga , as well as a variety of pinball machines . there are more than 20 craft beers on tap .
the games are next to convenient shelves to hold your drink during particularly competitive gaming sessions .
what it is : argentinian - style empanadas on the go and in a new storefront .
why it ' s cool : after several years running a successful food truck , 5411 empanadas recently opened its first storefront . named for the dialing code for buenos aires , they offer classic argentinian - style empanadas .
what it is : a florist company founded in march 2012 that donates a backpack full of school supplies to a student in need for every bouquet purchased .
why it ' s cool : the company ' s flowers are sourced organically , grown sustainably , and delivered locally in and around boston and chicago . after their first six months of operating , flowers for dreams had donated 1 , 750 backpacks in chicago , and 525 in boston after the first three months , according to an email from one of the co - founders .
why it ' s cool : anyone who ' s had a bad experience with craigslist can see where the idea came from .
furnishly makes the process of finding and buying great furniture from individuals and a variety of partner stores easier and more reliable .
why it ' s cool : named the year ' s best new restaurant by chicago magazine , goosefoot is named for the genus of plants that include beets and swiss chard . the food often looks more like art than something to eat .
the dishes are described simply with the ingredients that make them up , like the
angus beef / cauliflower / goosefoot / trumpet royale / shallot jus
that appeared on a recent menu .
what it is : a new men ' s boutique in chicago ' s gold coast neighborhood .
why it ' s cool : everything sold at the store is made in the usa .
some of the brands include engineered garments , post overalls , gitman vintage and featured footware from local company oak street bootmakers .
what it is : a company that makes handmade , vintage - style accessories—tie clips , cuff links , etc . —mainly for men , but also vintage and steam punk - style jewelry for women .
why it ' s cool : sarah sebastian , founder of jojo & sofia , named the business after her two grandmothers . aww ! !
what it is : madame zuzu ' s is a 1930s - style chinese tea house which opened in mid - september 2012 .
why it ' s cool : zuzu ' s was started by billy corgan , frontman of the smashing pumpkins . patrons who visited the tea house for its grand opening on september 13th were able to meet corgan and hear him play some acoustic sets .
why it ' s cool : mentormob allows users to create online
learning playlists
for a variety of subjects and skills you can learn like new languages , instruments , or school subjects . anyone who browses mentormob looking to learn something new will be able to see the best demos and how - tos on the internet , and
bypass all the junk .
why it ' s cool : already a hit in silicon valley , proper suit takes the hassle and pretentiousness out of great custom - made suits .
once you ' ve been measured by one of the company ' s tailors , all you need to do is send a photo or explanation of what you ' re looking for and the team will get to work .
what it is : rentalutions is an online property management platform that helps landlords manage their properties . it was founded in chicago in april 2012 .
why it ' s cool : the founders created rentalutions to bring more landlords into the digital age . landlords can manage their property rentals online and run background and credit checks on tenants with this program .
what it is : an online hiring and job search engine for the service industry in chicago .
it ' s almost like a social network or dating site for the industry , giving applicants a
fit score
for different opportunities and offering more
gigs
as they make their profile more complete .
why it ' s cool : slurping turtle offers delicious , comforting dishes like noodles and grilled meats . the owner , takashi yagihashi , won
fan favorite
on bravo ' s top chef masters .
what it is : an app that allows people to find and reserve parking spots in chicago .
why it ' s cool : parking in chicago can be , well , difficult . spothero allows users to view rates , get deals and reserve spots wherever they might be headed in chicago . users can just flash their phone at a partner garage and park .
the app also takes some of the agita out of parking at giant events .
what it is : a new , popular spanish / latin small plates restaurant that ' s made for sharing .
why it ' s cool : tavernita offers really great deals to its customers , including $ 1 shucked oysters on wednesdays from 5 to 7pm , and special educational nights for wine and spanish food .
why it ' s cool : the recently opened spot has more than fifty classic and original cocktails and a kitchen run by a charlie trotter ' s alum that ' s open until four in the morning .
dishes include pig face poutine and a popcorn and cotton candy of the day . house cocktails like
taking care of fizzness
are listed with their inventor on the menu .
what it is : a ' 60s inspired retro cocktail bar in chicago ' s lincoln park neighborhood .
why it ' s cool : classic drinks , bowls of punch ,
swanky decor ,
and great snacks make this recently opened bar a favorite for people frequenting the nearby webster place movie theater .
the bar also hosts fun ' 60s - inspired events like card night , complete with retro - styled decks .
what it is : like the north side neighborhood its located in , the hotel lincoln is
historic yet fresh , fun though eccentric , active but relaxed .
why it ' s cool : the hotel lincoln is close to the lincoln park zoo , green city market and second city , the comedy club that produced actors like john belushi , tina fey and steve carrell .