General News
25 March, 2024
Hub, work experience options needed locally
The Central Goldfields Shire Council (CGSC) has released findings from the Business and Industry Staff Recruitment Retention Survey, with results calling for a learning hub and more work experience opportunities. The survey was sent to approximately...
The Central Goldfields Shire Council (CGSC) has released findings from the Business and Industry Staff Recruitment Retention Survey, with results calling for a learning hub and more work experience opportunities.
The survey was sent to approximately 150 businesses in the Central Goldfields in December last year to create a snapshot on the recruitment challenges local businesses have faced in 2023 to obtain and retain staff, and to identify training needs.
Only 17 industry/business owners responded to the survey, a participation rate of 11 percent.
Their responses indicated local businesses struggled to attract apprentices/trainees, hospitality staff, and skilled workers, used financial incentives to recruit and retain staff and lacked applicants for specific technical jobs.
CGSC economic development officer Brian Gould said council is taking on board the surveys findings.
“The survey was directed specifically to owners or managers of businesses that employed staff. While it would have been beneficial to have a larger participation rate, it does give us a benchmark to build on for future surveys,” he said.
“There is a continuing increase in job opportunities in most businesses and the difficulties in attracting people to fill apprenticeships or traineeship, hospitality staff and skilled workers remains a challenge.
“Industries struggle particularly where vocational training or tertiary education qualifications are a requirement of applicants for their jobs — both those living locally or from outside the shire.”
The survey report recommends a learning hub to provide general work readiness training and proposed the implementation of a work experience taster program where suitable young people gain insight on the demands of their workforce.
Mr Gould said these insights will help shape how council combats employment issues for the forseeable future.
“The outcomes will form part of a future submission for government funding to establish a learning hub in Maryborough that is able to provide a high quality facility for existing staff, people returning to the workforce and school leavers,” he said.
“The Maryborough Careers Expo and the Industry Open House activities are delivering on the initial pilot projects emanating from the Triggering Innovation Leadership Transformation program around connecting with local industries on their current and future staffing needs.”
Mr Gould said further research and surveys will be conducted in this field, as council hopes to continually support local businesses.
“The work being done by the community partnership that includes local schools, public and private businesses, government agencies, universities and TAFE providers demonstrates the strong support to take action to develop a local model centred on accessible and sustainable delivery,” he said.
“This will address the gaps in skills-based learning for people from all backgrounds who live in Maryborough and the surrounding communities.
“There will be an opportunity to track the outcomes and the impacts it has on the recruitment and retention of staff, the ability to retain skilled staff, reduce the reliance on people commuting to the
Central Goldfields and increasing the numbers of people undertaking post-secondary education tertiary or vocational studies without having to leave the shire.”