Any city, town or region has many potential sources of skilled labour.

Apprenticeships and traineeships are the most obvious means of developing skilled staff. Traditionally, most apprentices come straight from school so a good first step is to establish contact with schools and career advisers.

Businesses are also increasingly recruiting mature-aged people as apprentices and looking at other groups in the community who may be under-represented in particular industries and occupations. Such groups include women, indigenous people and farmers.

Another untapped source of labour is under-employment people. Frequently these are people who would like to work more hours. As an employer, you need to offer part-time or casual work opportunities so that these people can fit more than one job into their schedule.

Many businesses have turned to skilled migrants to fill vacancies. However, you need to keep in mind that, depending on their background, migrants may need special support to settle into the workplace and the area. You must also be sure that migrants have the technical and language skills required. Completing the migration formalities, especially where the prospective employee is overseas, can be time consuming.

In regional NSW, ten Regional Development Boards can assist with visa applications for skilled workers.

Case Studies

Forging links with schools
Hyne, operator of a large timber processing facility in Tumbarumba, has established a community trust and cooperated with Rotary to take a group of local Year 11 students on the Kokoda Trail.

Women in male-dominated industries
2006 NSW Apprentice of the Year, Karen Hourigan has worked in male-dominated industries for over 13 years. After beginning a university degree in maths and science, she took an apprenticeship at EnergyAustralia as their first ever female motor mechanic. Ten years later she changed to another male-dominated industry at EnergyAustralia with an apprenticeship as an electrician.

Targeting prospective employees
A number of mines in NSW have recruited farmers because of their skills in machinery operation and repair and general work ethic.

CBH Resources in Broken Hill is targeting miners retrenched from Broken Hill mines and now working elsewhere, encouraging them to ‘return home’.

Employers with skilled migrant workers
MA broad range of businesses have successfully employed skilled migrants including:

• a hotel in Albury employing a chef from the UK
• an engineering company in Corowa with four welders from Colombia, India, Mauritius and the Philippines
• a Wagga Wagga engineering company employing ten welders from China.