Skills shortage comes to light
NEW research shows just how dire the skills shortage in Gladstone has become.
The research, by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWAR) finds there are far more job vacancies remaining unfilled in the Gladstone region than in other regions.
The new data confirms the anecdotal evidence seen so far in the local business community.
For example, employers of businesses in the Gladstone region received only 3.8 applications for each job vacancy, compared with 6.1 per cent across Queensland.
The research recently was presented to Gladstone Area Promotion and Development (GAPDL) by Ian Neville, Branch Manager for Labour Market Research and Analysis at DEEWAR in Canberra. Mr Neville said in all his years of exploring these issues across Australia, he had never seen the level of demand for skilled labour Gladstone is experiencing.
Fast facts
- The survey covered 319 Gladstone employers in December 2011.
- 16.9% of vacancies remained unfilled compared with 10.3% across other regions.
- The unemployment rate in Gladstone was 4.8%, compared with 5.5% statewide.
- 77% of employers in the Gladstone region engaged in recruiting activities during the past 12 months, compared with 68% across other regions.
- 70% of employers reported difficulty in recruiting, compared with 59% across other regions.
