Large agricultural companies in Australia are urging graduates and job seekers to enter the farming industry due to skill shortages across the sector.
Speaking at this week’s Agribusiness Remuneration Conference,
Agriplacements Australia Managing Director Dr Ray Johnson says
there is a huge demand to fill positions within the industry in
most sectors across Australia.
“The agribusiness sector is a dynamic business growth area where
opportunities abound for individuals and companies to grow and
realise new business opportunities,” Johnson says.
A keynote speaker at the conference in Melbourne, Landmark
Operations Managing Director Richard Norton says the current skills
shortage is an issue that must be addressed.
“Landmark has more than 1,600 staff based in rural communities.
We need to employ around 200 individuals each year to support and
grow our business,” he says.
“It is a constant challenge, and to achieve this, we have to be
flexible, our structures have to be complex.”
Over the last ten years, there have been a declining number of
appropriately trained agricultural scientists entering the
agribusiness workforce due to issues such as changes in gender
balance and increased competition from other sectors including
mining and finance.
Johnson says the demand for staff presents and enormous
challenge for the entire industry and it must self-promote and
communicate the opportunities available in agriculture to job
seekers.
“From our perspective as recruiters, we find that knowledge of
industry career opportunities is generally poor amongst graduates
and undergraduates in particular,” he says.
According to Agriplacements Australia, other factors the
industry must address to reverse the skills shortfall include
gaining a better understanding of the market trends relating to
remuneration packages, changing its approach to reviewing and
hiring prospective candidates, and widening the net to attract
candidates outside Australia.
Johnson adds the industry need to address the shortage of women
in the field as up to 70 per cent (depending on the specific area
of study) who entered the industry are moving into marriage and
family prior to or soon after entering the workforce.
“Industry must look to attract more women back into the
workforce by offering flexible working conditions to accommodate
their family needs,” he says.
“However, most importantly, the industry must develop and
execute a smart communication campaign that highlights the
opportunities available, to ensure potential candidates consider a
career in agribusiness.”