BETTER CONNECTIONS

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BETTER CONNECTIONS BETTER OUTCOMES

• IMPROVING LABOUR MARKET EFFECTIVENESS
• Hunter
• Employment Service Area
• 31 January 2006

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Agenda

• 9.30am Tea and Coffee on arrival
• 10.00am Welcome and Introductions
• 10.10am Better Connections presentation
• 11.00am Guest speaker
• 11.15am Morning tea break
• 11.30am Identification and discussion of issues
• 12.15pm Developing an action plan (working
  lunch provided)
• 1.45pm Drawing it together
• 2.00pm Close

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Origins of the workshops

• DEWR undertakes a range of research and analysis
  of labour supply and skill shortages
• DEWR, with other Government agencies, is looking
  at how to address Australias labour supply and
  skill shortages
• Run a series of workshops to share information
  and ideas

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Objective of the workshops

• Improve Labour Market Effectiveness by
• addressing labour supply and skill shortage
  issues
• increasing labour market participation (target
  groups mature aged, single parents, people with
  a disability, Indigenous Australians, people from
  culturally and linguistically diverse
  backgrounds, youth)
• establishing and further developing linkages
  between relevant organisations

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Hunter Employment Service Area
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Hunter Employment Service Area - Profile

• Working Age Population (15-64) 85,000
• Unemployment Rate 6.5 vs 5.2 for NSW
• Diversity
• Population born overseas 6.5 vs 23.2 for NSW
• Population born in a non-English speaking
  background 2.7 vs 16.1 for NSW
• Education
• Completed post school qualifications 30.6 vs
  36.3 for NSW
• Completed a degree 6.2 vs 13.6 for NSW

Source DEWR Small Area Labour Markets September
2005, 2001 Census, DEWR derived estimates
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Hunter ESA Labour Market Demand

• Industry
• Employment by industry vs state
• Employment status by industry
• Projected industry growth

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Summary of Hunter ESASkills Shortage Survey

• Survey covered all major industries and
  occupations.
• 70 of vacancies were filled or were expected to
  be filled.
• 800 applicants for 88 advertised positions.

Source DEWR Hunter Skill Shortage Survey
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Source DEWR, Hunter Skill Shortage Survey
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Source DEWR, Hunter Skill Shortage Survey
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Source DEWR, Hunter Skill Shortage Survey
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On the Job Training

• Half of the employers surveyed either already
  hire a New Apprentice or are prepared to hire
  one.
• 42 of employers surveyed were willing to provide
  paid work experience for up to two weeks (wage
  subsidies may be available)

Source DEWR, Hunter Regional Skill Shortage
Survey
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Recruitment Expectations

• 69 of employers surveyed expect to recruit staff
  in the next 12 months.
• 59 of recruiting employers expect to have
  difficulty filling positions in the next 12
  months.
• This is especially due to positions requiring
  specialised skills.

Source DEWR, Hunter Regional Skill Shortage
Survey
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Hunter ESA Labour Market Demand

• All vacancies lodged and filled (Job Network and
  Job Placement Organisations)
• New Apprenticeship vacancies lodged and filled
  (Job Network and Job Placement Organisations)
• New Apprenticeship commencements (DEST 2004-05)

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Hunter ESALabour Market Supply

• Working Age Customer Populations
• Working age payment recipients
• Centrelink and Job Network populations
• Job Network quarterly referrals

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Upcoming activities and those already established
and underway

• Significant expansion of the Hunter Valley coal
  industry
• Lower Hunter Regional Strategy
• Upgrade of the Kurri Hydro Aluminium smelter
• Gas pipeline between Seahampton and Rutherford
• DBT Australia construction of new facility at
  Beresfield
• Big W new store in Cessnock
• GWH Construction - bulky goods centre at
  Rutherford
• Expansion of Cessnock Correctional Centre

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Range of DEWR Programmes

• Job Network
• Employer Demand Demonstration Projects
• Mature Age Industry strategies
• Employment Innovation Fund
• Job Placement
• Community Work Coordinators
• Voluntary Work Initiatives
• Green Corps
• New Enterprise Incentive Scheme
• Transition to Work

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Possible issues for consideration

• How to increase the participation of parents,
  people with a disability, mature age and very
  long-term unemployed job seekers?
• How to engage employers and industry to increase
  the participation of parents, people with a
  disability, mature age and very long-term
  unemployed?
• How can employment service providers make better
  linkages and increase the placement of job
  seekers into New Apprenticeships?
• How do providers better engage with industry and
  employers to take advantage of opportunities in
  the region?

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Developing a local action plan

• Focus on practical actions for each issue being
  addressed
• Identify stakeholders and linkages

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Evaluation strategy

• Workshop evaluation to be filled out today
• Follow up survey of participants to assess
  specific actions/strategies undertaken
• Longer term data analysis to assess measurable
  items and analysis of qualitative information
  relating directly to each workshop

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Finish

• Thank you