Home-grown remedy to fix skills shortage
ONE Cairns employment agency is pushing an “old fashioned” idea as a way for businesses in the region to overcome skills shortages.
Precruitment executive consultant Lyn Russell said employers were looking for people with significant experience, sometimes between five and 10 years.
“We’re finding it increasingly challenging to find people with that level of experience in Cairns,” she said.
Popular Palm Cove restaurant Vivo has taken to social media to search for apprentice and commis chefs. The restaurant confirmed it was having difficulty filling roles.
“If you have a passion for what you do, you are creative or would like to develop your skills in the kitchen, come join the team,” the post reads.
Employment figures have received a 1700 boost to 116,800 in August from the month before and the hospitality industry has been touted as a major growth area in Cairns, especially in light of three new hotels being developed in the CBD.
Ms Russell was exploring ways to get employers to take a “grow your own” approach rather than hiring experienced staff.
“In some ways it’s old fashioned but might be the solution to the skills shortage that many people are experiencing,” she said, adding that Cairns didn’t have a history of businesses investing in training up their staff.
“You can build people into the culture and they develop a sense of loyalty.”
Ms Russell said she was speaking with James Cook University on how to encourage employers in the Cairns region to consider investing in staff development.
This included new and recent graduates and even taking young people straight from Year 12 and putting them through university or TAFE.
“With a new graduate or someone who’s recently graduated obviously their salary is going to be lower, so there’s a financial benefit in people making that investment in training,” Ms Russell said.
“We’re also less likely to lose graduates, who are going down south to find work.”
YOU CAN BUILD PEOPLE INTO THE CULTURE AND THEY DEVELOP A SENSE OF LOYALTY PRECRUITMENT EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT LYN RUSSELL