The ‘impossible task’ of finding a qualified diesel mechanic

As the ag sector booms, qualified diesel mechanics are leaving their jobs to work on farms, leaving machinery dealers desperate.

As the agricultural sector booms, qualified diesel mechanics are leaving jobs to work on farms, leaving machinery dealers desperate, industry leaders say.

Farm machinery company O’Connors’ human resources manager Lisa Day said the demand for mechanical servicing and new machinery was at the highest it had ever been, and the company was looking at a range of creative options to retain staff as other desperate industries offered lucrative incentives to lure workers.

Qualified diesel mechanic Stephen Cusack was recruited from Ireland to work at O’Connors Ballarat, where he has been since January. Picture: Else Kennedy

“Over the last few years, we haven’t been losing qualified technicians to other dealers, they are going to work for farmers or contractors. Others have got out of the industry altogether,” Ms Day said.

“Farmers are paying good money (for staff). Header operators are earning good money. It’s hard to argue with that.”

O’Connors, which operates 15 outlets across Victoria, NSW and South Australia, has enough work to employ an additional three qualified mechanics at each of its outlets, but finding staff to fill those roles is an “impossible task”, she said.

“The whole recruitment environment is the most challenging I’ve ever seen it.

“When it comes to attracting qualified diesel mechanics, we have nearly zero ability. It is so difficult,” she said.

Instead, the company was focused on training apprentices to bring new staff into the industry, she said.

O’Connors employs 73 apprentices at various stages of a four-year training program, and would employ more if it could, Ms Day said.

The company has also resumed its search for overseas workers after recruitment was interrupted by the pandemic, and is working with a recruitment agent in the Philippines, she said.

Staff were also working overtime to meet demand.

“We have dealerships across three states. Normally some areas might be in drought and we would move mechanics around to meet demand.

“We don’t have that opportunity at the moment. All areas are firing. Every part of agriculture is buoyant,” Ms Day said.

Ballarat branch manager Stewart Pope said he is leaving no stone unturned in his search for staff. Picture: Else Kennedy

O’Connors Ballarat manager Stewart Pope said he spent at least one day a week trying to recruit staff for his branch.

Ideally he would like to grow to a service team of 16, an increase on the 11 staff he currently employs.

“We are leaving no stone unturned. I’ve gone to three job fairs in the last six weeks and we are advertising everywhere. It is just very hard to find staff,” Mr Pope said.

In January, Mr Pope recruited a qualified diesel mechanic from Ireland. While he would like to find more staff locally, he said all options were on the table.