Phone shop defends male-only job advert after employee says women 'didn?t have skills to learn to fix phones'

A phone shop in Windsor has defended a job advert which asked for ‘only male staff’ to apply.

The Phone Workshop, in Peascod Street, put up the poster advertising the job vacancy for a full-time position outside the shop this week.

The hand-written poster has caused controversy among some shoppers who have labelled the advert as  sexist.   

One shopper, who did not wished to be named, said: “When I asked in store why the vacancy was only open to men, I was told it was because they would need to learn to fit the screens to mobile phones; the implication being that this would be beyond the capabilities of women.”

However, the shop did not see it the same way and maintained it is just because men are more suited to the role.

Marius Bordean, who works at the shop, told the Express on Wednesday the poster was ‘nothing suspicious, they just want someone to fix phones’.

He added: “They have had ladies before and they didn’t have the skills to learn how to fix the phone.”

Despite this, Marius said he ‘did not know why’ the manager had specifically asked for males and he had told his manager Saquib Nou that women could do the job too.

Mr Nou said he specified for men only as this was the only experience he has had in the past.

He said he ‘had not had experience’ teaching women to repair phones but added he does have women working in sales at the shop.

Even though the poster specified men only, Mr Nou said he would be happy to consider anyone for the job.

“I can interview women and if someone is happy to learn about repairing phones they can,” he added.

“Any person can do this job.”

The shop has since removed the sign but Mr Nou said he is still looking for a full-time employee, of either gender, to work in the shop.