WORDS | Peel Capability Collaborative & Department of Training and Workforce Development
IMAGES | Peel Capability Collaborative
The Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD) have recently completed the Peel Labour Market Review which aims to inform DTWD, TAFE colleges, industry and community stakeholders about current and future labour market trends, current attraction and retention issues being experienced by employers and education and training issues.
The methodology utilised to undertake the review included desktop research, interviews with employers and key stakeholders, document and interview analysis, validation of preliminary findings and preparation of the report.
Key review findings:
- Industry diversification is required in order to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population and support future economic growth in the region. ∙∙
- Employers across a wide range of industry sectors reported difficulty in finding suitably skilled and experienced workers from the existing pool of local people. ∙∙
- Common recruitment issues cited were a lack of applicants with the required skills, experience and qualifications. Location and wages and conditions offered were also identified as a barrier to attracting and retaining staff. ∙∙
- Many applicants lack the soft skills required, such as good communication, interpersonal, self-motivational, adaptability and teamwork skills. ∙∙
- Other workforce issues include an ageing workforce, high youth unemployment, and negative perception of some industries. 2019 Peel Labour Market Review snapshot
How are we addressing the challenges and opportunities?
The Peel Capability Collaborative are committed to preparing Peel’s workforce and shifting negative perceptions through collaborative action and storytelling. The Peel Labour Market Review provides the region with information to consider in achieving this aim and can act as a lever for communication with key stakeholders. Reflecting on the information in the report there are already several initiatives underway aimed at addressing the key findings.
The Mandurah Murray Employment Facilitator worked in partnership with the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business and the Peel Jobs and Skills Centre to host the Mandurah Jobs Fair in October 2019.
This event has occurred annually for the past three years and is designed to bring together job seekers, employers, employment service providers and recruitment agencies to explore current employment opportunities in the local community. The event is a prime opportunity for employers and job seekers to connect and explore each other’s expectations of work. In the lead up to the event and on the day, the Jobs and Skills Centre provides jobseekers workshops to build their job readiness and soft skills around communication, preparedness for work and how to interact positively with employers. An example of a leadin event is a collaboration with Vicinity to provide a Pop Up Jobs Shop at the Mandurah Forum, meeting people in the community where they are at for a passive approach to looking at how to find work, work on your resume and interview skills whilst undertaking your day to day tasks.
The Peel Jobs and Skills Centre host mini careers expos twice yearly to provide an opportunity for TAFE students, current local VET and high school students to engage with local businesses, employers and South Metropolitan TAFE lecturers about real and current training and employment opportunities across the Peel region. At the recent September 2019 expo, over 200 participants had the opportunity to listen to key industry speakers and meet with 11 local Peel region employers including, Spudshed, National Shipbuilding College, Carers Plus and Auxilium Resources. Students heard about training and employment pathways and linked in with employers. Peel employers connected with willing job seekers/students nearing the end of their courses with a variety of skills and had the opportunity to promote employment openings. Peel JSC staff were at the session to provide free careers, training and employment advice and assistance. The Bunnings sausage sizzle was a great success and the event continues to grow each year.
Peel Jobs and Skills Centre works closely with schools in the Peel region and collaborates with schools and community groups to provide assistance with career, training and employment pathways, information on application processes and apprenticeships and traineeships.
Peel Jobs and Skills Centre is partnering with the Smith Family, Department of Education, Mandurah Employment Facilitator and City of Mandurah to deliver in October 2019 the Work Inspiration Program, connecting local disadvantaged youth with inspiring work experience opportunities. Work Inspirations is a program offering career development for young people, involving a combination of hands-on experiences, career conversations between students and adults in the workforce, employability workshops and student reflections and feedback.
The Peel Capability Collaborative annually host an Educators Forum with the intent to provide local educators with information about key industry growth sectors and their skills requirements. Educators can then use this information to provide guidance in their course offering decisions and in their guidance discussions with students about future work prospects.
Peel Bright Minds is a community driven initiative to develop a curious community and build aspiration for Peel people to engage in science, technology, engineering and maths careers. This focus on building aspirations will have a long-term positive affect on lifting the skills base of the region to enable filling of those currently hard to fill occupations of manager, professionals and technical workers.
The Peel Employment Support Network facilitates collaboration amongst Federal employment service providers and State agencies such as the Peel Jobs and Skills Centre to build capability of job seekers and connections to employers. Through exploring the challenges together, we are building the capacity of providers of service to job seekers enabling a more positive outcome for employers by collectively sharing a narrative that unifies the approach to employment capacity and capability of our region. If you wish to join in the conversation about the Review or other workforce development concerns, please contact the Collaborative via Kristie Tonkin, Peel Development Commission.
MORE INFORMATION
Contact Kristie Tonkin, Peel Development Commission on (08) 9535 4140 or email kristie.tonkin@peel.wa.gov.au
This article was first published in the Peel Magazine, Spring/Summer – vol 5.2 – to read and download the full magazine, click here.