PROFESSOR CAROLYN EVANS: VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY

Queensland is facing both a skills shortage which is beginning to impact businesses and individuals. Whether it is a local café opening fewer days a week because they can’t get staff or regional areas where it is almost impossible to attract qualified doctors, the need for employees is evident.

The National Skills Commission’s 2022 update revealed there are 286 occupations with national shortages, up from 153 in 2021. They range from areas such as healthcare where years of training is required to hospitality where there is less need for substantial training.

Solving these problems in the short-term will not be easy. Eased border restrictions will help bring back in some types of workers who will help to fill some of the gap but will not solve the problem.

At this moment there is a real opportunity to focus attention on bringing into the workforce those who have been excluded. Australia does not make enough use of the talents of people with disabilities, immigrants from non-English speaking backgrounds, women with children, and older people. Government schemes which reduce barriers to entry to the workforce, for example by providing cheaper childcare or enabling people to earn more while receiving a pension, are a step in the right direction. Creating more ambitious programs that incentivise employers to engage with those who have been kept out of the workforce will be another critical step.

While we are appropriately looking to short-term measures to fill critical needs, we need to ensure we also keep an eye on the longer-term horizon. Universities will play a critical part in ensuring we have trained the workforce needed in healthcare, education, engineering, and IT to name but a few areas of current shortages. The Productivity Commission report tells us 53% of newly created jobs over the next five years will require higher education and 39% will require vocational education.

We need coordinated action by government, industry and educators to prepare the workforce we will need in coming years. There are currently barriers including limitations on placements for nursing and teaching students and limits on industry partnerships, which constrain the ability of universities to provide as many graduates who are ready for employment as are needed.

The pressing need for more employees creates a challenge but also an opportunity – we need to grasp the chance to work together constructively to create strong pathways to good jobs for the benefit of all Queenslanders.