Future skills shortages to suit juniors

GOLD Coast business owners should protect themselves against a return to a skills shortage similar to that experienced prior to the downturn.

Hays Gold Coast director Darren Buchanan, says the impact of future skills shortages can be minimised by investing in recruiting and training entry-level candidates.

“The global financial crisis gave employers a breather from the skills shortage, but this breather won’t last. All signs point towards a candidate shortage once again,” he says.

“To help alleviate this and meet future workloads, employers can invest in graduates and less experienced candidates.

“Skills shortages are already starting to emerge. There were a large number of candidates available in the middle of the financial downturn but the number of highly skilled candidates has since reduced in line with the market’s steady recovery.

“There are now areas of high candidate demand, for example the energy, engineering, IT and accountancy sectors are experiencing a shortage of highly skilled and specialised candidates.”

The economic downturn halted the graduate/junior recruitment market.

“The recruiting and training of graduates and entry-level candidates fell sharply in 2009,” says Buchanan.

“Employers were averse to risk in any form, and so they wanted proven performers. Many entry-level candidates struggled to find work, sometimes ending up in a role outside their industry.

“We also advise employers when recruiting to look ahead at what a candidate can offer in the coming three to five years, rather than just the next two years. This will also have a positive effect internally, with staff valuing the potential for future opportunities with their employer.”