Jobs Go Begging
Newcastle Herald
Thursday October 28, 2004
ONCE the nation's industrial heartland, the Hunter has more than 800 trade jobs employers cannot fill because of the critical skills shortage.
It was revealed yesterday that 85 per cent of industries are experiencing skills shortages and that 29 per cent of Hunter firms receive no applications for good jobs in manufacturing fields.Now the region has been chosen to launch a pilot program to find the answers.Hunter Skills Development Taskforce chairman Alan Broadfoot said yesterday the program was of national importance."The time for talking about skills shortages is now over, we are facing the problem and we are doing something about it," Dr Broadfoot said.Australian Industry Group chief executive Heather Ridout said the Hunter region has "had its ups and downs" but the skills shortage was one of the most complex problems it had faced."It is not just the Hunter facing the problem, the skill shortage is right across Australia," Ms Ridout said."There are 21,000 vacancies across manufacturing and 30 per cent of manufacturing orders can't be finished because of the shortages."Apart from international competition, this is the major issue on our minds."A lot of work had already been done in the Hunter to address the problem."This region spends more on training per employee than any other region," Ms Ridout said.The Hunter Skills Development Action Plan was launched in Newcastle yesterday. It will examine a range of initiatives, including reviewing apprenticeship arrangements, finding new pathways for apprentices, upgrading workers' skills and retraining people who are unemployed.Dr Broadfoot said the skills shortage was a community and regional problem, not a political one."We can't continue to train people in courses that are no use to our industry," he said.Sandra Gilshenan, project manager for the 12-month pilot program, said apprenticeships needed to be more contemporary and more appealing to young people."We will work with industry and training providers to identify what programs are needed to remedy skill shortages," she said.Editorial, Page 8 POSITIONS VACANT* 85% of Hunter firms are experiencing skill shortages* 70% of vacancies are at trade level* 16% at semi-skilled level* 9% at post-trade level* 5% at degree level* 63% of vacancies are at large employers* 13% of apprentices are employed by small firms* 20% of apprentices are employed in medium-sized firms* 57% of apprentices are employed by large firmsWorst shortages: boilermakers, fitters, machinists and electriciansSource: Industry in the Regions, 2001; Australian Industry Group
© 2004 Newcastle Herald