Still Game

1 in 5 businesses say lack of skilled workers
"Not enough Aussies have the right attitude"
Employers look offshore to fill staffing gaps
BOOSTING immigration would combat the shortage of skilled labour that is hurting small and medium enterprises.

That's the word from some of the country’s leading entrepreneurs, after almost one in five small and medium businesses listed a lack of skilled workers as their main concern in a survey of over 100 finalists in the 2011 Telstra Business Awards.

Northern Territory Small Business Award winner Justin Gill says one of the biggest challenges for his Darwin-based construction business Abode New Homes was sourcing Australian staff with a solid work ethic.

To find skilled labour with the attitude that they want to do the right thing and they want to learn and they want to keep improving is hard,” he told news.com.au.

“I’m a fan of immigration in that if we immigrate skilled labour in and skilled resources, I think that can be a fantastic opportunity for Australia to benefit and business to benefit."



Read more: http://www.news.com.au/business/your...#ixzz1VNQA0xrS

Rambi

Would there be a correlation there to suggest that 20% of the workforce are slack-arses?

Doesn't sound out of the ball park.

Sherlock Holmes

Whilst I'm generally a supporter of business and yes, there may well be a staff shortage, is this just a thinly disguised appeal for cheap foreign labour?

Just a thought.

Rambi

Probably. But saying 20% of the workforce can't be bothered is not out there in my experience.

Bix

Whatever happened to the times when employers developed and trained their own workforce?

Oh yes, it's cheaper to get government to provide them or immigrants that they can manipulate.

Bix

In fact there could be a geographical equasion in there somewhere.

The farther North you go the higher the percentage.

ozzieeagle

Spot on !


Why employ someone that knows and demands their rights when they can import someone that isn't so sure.

sonlymewalter

I know many skilled people out of work and who are prepared to do anything.

Unemployment is allegedly low and skilled labour is hard to find.

Where is this place they talk of

aussietobe

They should import the London rioters. They clearly need something to do to fill their time.

chris955

I think the key word is 'allegedly', I have a sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe the Government is fiddling the figures.

Amazulu

If we were to bring in the guys that we need (and if we could find them) to design electrical/comms systems for mines, we would be paying them at least $125k plus benefits and relocation costs. Some would get substantially more.

We are not looking at 457s yet as it is a major PITA.

FAST JV (BHP) are currently hoovering up mid-level engineers for about $275k plus bonus.

Amazulu

If you know of any senior electrical designers who have materials handling, motor-control, HV, substation design, comms, PLC experience then drop me a PM as we are desperate.

In our electrical design team at the moment we are 10 strong. We should be 20-25.

sonlymewalter

I do but they work at my place, sod off

Mr Grumpy

So the whole premise of this article that its attitude that is the problem is a fraudulent lie.

Really they should be saying we only want a very small sub-group of highly skilled and experienced people in a particular field and absolutely no one else will be considered.

sonlymewalter

That's about it. Which is why when you get to Aus it aint the "easy street" people are led to believe regarding getting a job, unless of course you fit the criteria as highlighted in bold above.