The local recruits have been fast-tracked into Coles' supermarkets and liquor stores across the region and have come from a wide range of industries and businesses, including many that have been forced to close or to stand down staff such as in travel, sport, fitness and hospitality, Coles reports.

Dubbo Regional Council last week estimated more than 600 workers in its area had lost their jobs in the food services and hotels industry, forced to shut down on March 23 in response to COVID-19.

Shoppers first told of shelves being emptied of toilet paper, hand sanitiser and other household items at stores across the city at the start of March, a national trend that led to caps on some purchases.

This week Coles reports of recruiting more than 7000 people nationally in just two weeks to meet customer demand and has now extended the recruitment drive by opening an extra 5000 positions across the country.

The roles include store team members to serve customers and replenish shelves in Coles supermarkets and liquor stores, customer service agents to deliver orders to Coles online customers, and more than 100 trade qualified bakers for in-store bakeries.

The 86 new recruits are working at Dubbo, Wellington and Narromine and across Coles supermarkets, Coles Express and liquor stores Liquorland, First Choice, Liquor Market and Vintage Cellars, Coles reports.

Among the thousands of newly-hired Coles team members is Caringbah resident and international flight attendant Jenny Dunworth, who was stood down after a decade with Virgin Australia.

"It was upsetting but extremely necessary given the current climate and we're living in a surreal world, but nothing is more important than keeping each other safe," the 33-year-old said.

"I saw a job post on social media. I applied and was immediately accepted.

"I'm grateful to have a casual job right now, if only to keep my sanity."

Dubbo mayor Ben Shields last week reported of the council's three-pronged approach to helping during the pandemic.

"The third [measure] is the facilitation of new workforce opportunities from large-scale employers looking for an immediate workforce, where people who have been displaced can find information in one location on major employers such as Coles, Woolworths and other locals such Fletcher's International," he said.

For information about roles offered at Coles, visit www.colescareers.com.au .

Our COVID-19 news articles relating to public health and safety are free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.