VECCI will today hold a forum on skills issues at its head office in Albert Street, East Melbourne.
The speakers at the forum will include: the Hon Andrew Robb MP, the Federal Minister for Vocational and Technical Education and the Hon Jacinta Allan MP,
the State Minister for Skills, Education Services and Employment.
“Skills and labour shortages remain a major issue for business”, says VECCI Chief Executive Officer, Mr Neil Coulson.
“This is underpinned by the VECCI Victorian Skills Survey taken last year, which found that:
- Over half of those businesses (58.4%) surveyed considered that skill shortages were having a negative impact on the productivity of their business, with 10.7% reporting a very negative impact.
- Businesses have been experiencing difficulties in filling vacancies, with over half of businesses finding it difficult to recruit skilled people to vacancies over the 6 months ahead of filling in the survey; and half of businesses finding it difficult to recruit experienced people to vacancies over the six months ahead of filling in the survey.
- Of businesses that employ apprentices and trainees, 28.3% found it difficult to recruit people to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship with their business over the past 6 months.
- The most common actions taken by responding businesses in the preceding 6 months to fill vacancies were: to retrain current staff (42%); advertise for a current tradesperson (35%); advertise for an apprentice or trainee (18%); and seek a mature-aged worker (18%). Only 4.5% of respondents sought a skilled migrant from overseas, putting to bed the myth that skilled migration is the option of first choice for employers – instead it is one of a number of options in the skills armoury.
- A significant percentage of businesses employed: a person over the age of 45 (89%); a person with a physical or intellectual disability (20%); culturally and linguistically diverse persons (52%); and indigenous Australians (11%).
- While 99 percent of business respondents had some knowledge of the `Ageing Workforce’ issues, 41 percent were aware of the retirement intentions of their older workers, and 41 percent were not.
The `Localising Skills and Education' forum is part of the engagement process around VECCI’s second Victoria Summit, which will take place at Parliament House, Victoria on Thursday 15 November 2007.
“While many of the skills issues covered in the 2005 Summit are still ongoing and relevant, some employers feel we are no closer to resolving the skills debate at a firm level, and there is probably a need to break the skills debate down into bite-sized local and regional solutions for local regions and firms.
“In other words, how can communities influence the training and education agenda, rather than waiting for broad-brush solutions to address their needs?
“Issues to be discussed include:
- How can local communities assist in overcoming local skill shortages?
- Retaining skilled minds in regional communities – combating the Brain Drain.
- Educating and advancing our ageing workforce.
- Whose role it is to lead the reform task – Government or industry?
- Improving apprenticeship structures and pathways at a time when their relevance is being increasingly challenged.
- Preparing for the ‘new economy’ service industries and upskilling for global competitiveness.
“After the Ministers have addressed the Forum, business representatives will take part in a panel discussion exploring their perspectives and experiences in industry or regions and their thoughts on what can be done to improve education and reduce the skills gap. Panellists are:
- Brendan Ryan, Jayco;
- Adam Furphy, J Furphy & Sons Pty Ltd; and
- Lindsay Edwards, Skilled Engineering.
Questions from the floor will then be sought.
“Skills was a major topic of VECCI’s Victoria Summit in November 2005 – it will be interesting to see what has changed in the past eighteen months.
“Today’s discussion on skills will be the first of a number we plan to hold in the lead up to our Summit”, says Mr Coulson.
The VECCI Forum on Skills will be held on Tuesday 24 April between 10.00am and 12 noon at VECCI, Level 5, 486 Albert Street, East Melbourne – the Forum will be followed by a sandwich lunch. |
