We face a critical shortage of staff, and this is how we can address it | Bruce Djite

The writing is on the door: “Sorry, we’re closed due to lack of staff”. South Australia needs to be first in line for new workers, writes Bruce Djite.

“Sorry, unfortunately due to a lack of staff we are not open today. We apologise for the inconvenience. We hope to be back open tomorrow.”

So went the message stuck to the window of a North Adelaide eatery this week, as told to me by a business acquaintance.

The A4 sheet of paper may have well been a postcard for the headwinds facing many businesses in 2022.

Rarely a day passes by when Committee for Adelaide members, from large institutions to small-business owners and charities, don’t lament the skills shortage that has become a critical challenge to the Australian economy.

In fact, the impact is without peer historically in Australia. According to the Hays Salary Guide 2022-23, about nine out of 10 employers are experiencing skills shortages, with demand for talent outstripping supply across the country.

Increased competition for workers, a shortage of appropriately qualified or skilled talent, fewer people entering the job market in select industries, a lack of career progression and scarcity of overseas talent are among the top reasons for the skills crisis.

The consequences for businesses include lost productivity, limited opportunities for growth and profit, and low morale among existing staff as they take on a higher workload, risking burnout or forcing them, too, out the door.

Staff with the skills we need will be critical for the future. Picture: istock

We need to support population retention but our businesses and other future-facing industries need access to talent to grow and thrive, and that’s where national and state policies are important.

Last week we saw government, industry, think tanks, and unions come together for a Jobs and Skills Summit to tackle this problem and chart a course for a more sustainable skills future.

As we continue to advocate for an increasingly prosperous state, which is one of the leaders in the nation for both declining fertility rates and ageing population, overseas migration will be a key factor.

As strong advocates for population growth, the Committee for Adelaide welcomes the federal government’s commitment at the Jobs and Skills Summit to lift the migrant cap by 35,000 a year to 195,000.

We call on Premier Peter Malinauskas to advocate strongly to ensure South Australia attracts more than our fair share of migrants as part of the national program. Through our Adelaide Connected program, we are helping to retain migrants by connecting them with business and industry to better match job opportunities and skill sets, which is an ongoing challenge for our state.

The federal government will also increase post-study work rights for international students, which is another policy lever we have continuously advocated for the government to pull. Doing so will be critical to ensure we can retain the thousands of international students we attract here.

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson noted that only 16 per cent of international students stay in Australia after their studies.

“Australia is worse off for this brain drain,” she said.

Medical workers are among those in demand. picture: istock

SA’s participation rate is the worst of all mainland states at 62.5 per cent according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and while unemployment rates have dropped nationally, there is still room for improvement in SA. Our 4 per cent unemployment rate in July was the highest in the nation.

Solutions to this are multifaceted but increasing participation in training and employment, and pathways to the local market, are critical to ensure we can lift our state’s productivity and standard of living.

The federal government’s decision to make 180,000 TAFE courses free is another step in the right direction.

However, traditional education and skills pathways may not always be the right avenue for many – particularly the marginalised and more vulnerable members of our community.

The Committee for Adelaide recently held an inclusive-communities event in partnership with our members, Torrens University Australia and Community Centres SA. Our members heard that one in four Australians identify as lonely, with that figure rising to more than one in two among young people, according to youth mental health support service Headspace.

Workers in a range of fields are needed. Picture: Istock

With equity and inclusion front of mind, we heard from a panel of experts about the need for safe, inclusive and diverse approaches to education, training and employment so that people can engage on their own terms.

For example, Torrens University’s focus on equity and inclusion underpins its no-ATAR policy, which removes the admission ranking as a key determinant for high school applicants wanting to pursue tertiary education.

We also heard from Youth Inc, a city-based school designed for young people, that for whatever reason, do not flourish in a conventional school setting. Students can gain their SACE or VET qualifications through a real-world learning model including activities such as work experience or volunteering.

One of the key takeaways of the event was that more collaboration is required to fund and support alternative learning pathways if our state is serious about overcoming barriers to participation and improving access and support for those who need it most.

Because, not only do individuals benefit, but so does our entire state.

Bruce Djite is chief executive of the Committee for Adelaide