NT graduates part of solution

That’s why Charles Darwin University is delivering industryready graduates to fill these vital work shortages …

THE Territory is in the middle of the biggest labour crisis it has seen in years.

Staff shortages are being felt by businesses and industries across the board, in everything from teaching, to hospitality, to construction to hairdressing and more.

But it’s not only the NT that is suffering, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for employers to recruit across the country with vital roles being left unfilled, putting pressure on existing staff to pick up the slack.

This trickles down to impact Territorians at every single level.

And its not only about waiting an extra five minutes for your soy latte at the local coffee shop.

It means teachers in the NT are left to manage overflowing classrooms, it means Territorians are struggling to find adequate mental health supports, it means longer wait times in hospitals and doctor surgeries, it means restaurant staff are stretched and overworked.

It is becoming increasingly more difficult for people to take holidays and take the necessary time off to rest and recuperate. And that’s no good when you’re overworked and a short drive away from relaxing in one of the NT’s cool waterholes with a beer in hand.

Unemployment is now at levels where a shortage of available workers is forcing some businesses to restrict their opening hours.

We must start preparing a workforce that is ready to meet the immediate skills shortages, and also ready and prepared for the jobs of the future.

Experts warn that the Northern Territory needs about 3000 additional workers to ease the pressure of worker shortages currently being felt across the board.

We know there’s no quick fix for this problem, but we are doing what we can to support people into education pathways and into jobs.

Education is the key, and it is the solution that supports local people getting into jobs.

That’s why Charles Darwin University is delivering industry-ready graduates to fill these vital work shortages in industries that are truly relevant to the NT to keep our economy going and to get people into meaningful work that they love.

The Territory is the best place to work in Australia, if not the world, and there’s a lot of great work already under way to attract people to migrate here from down south or further afield.

International students are so vital to keep the heart of the Territory strong and fill these vital worker shortages that we are experiencing in the NT.

There are so many fantastic success stories of our international students that I’ve heard.

Students who are working with businesses such as KPMG in accounting as a part of the graduate program, who are working and being placed in local schools as teachers, who are studying hospitality and are now cooking up a career in commercial cookery in the NT supporting local eateries and cafes.

The value of these students cannot be overlooked for the NT community and CDU will continue to do what it can to partner with local businesses to reduce the burden on them to support more workers entering the industry.

CDU is also supporting local Territorians to study hair, beauty and barbering in 2022 for example, we are currently waiving student fees for apprentices enrolled in these courses to assist employers and apprentices.

We know that fees may deter businesses from taking on new apprentices, which in turn may slow down workforce recovery efforts, which is why we are removing the barriers and making it easier for businesses and for apprentices.

There is a huge shortage of hairdressers, barbers and beauty professionals in the Territory, as well as many other areas, so the more students we can get into study, the more we can get out to industry and fill the gaps.

The past couple of years have been very hard on a variety of industries in the Territory and CDU would like to help assist in the recovery after the pandemic as much as we can.

We need to work together across all forms of government and local business to build the workforce, fill vital jobs and contribute to the NT continuing to be the best place to live, work and play.