WA turns to UK to find aged care workers
Western Australia needs thousands of skilled community workers, but because of the shortages in the sector, the state government is taking its recruitment drive to the United Kingdom.
Western Australia needs thousands of skilled community workers, but because of the shortages in the sector, the state government is taking its recruitment drive to the United Kingdom.
The Western Australian government says a booming resources sector, which has sparked some $225 billion worth of infrastructure projects over 25 years, will leave Western Australia short-staffed and the nation cannot answer the demand.
WA Training and Workplace Development Minister, Peter Collier, says projections show the need for up to 150,000 extra skilled workers by 2017.
The area forecast to be most in need of skilled workers is health care and social assistance, where an additional 28,200 positions are expected to become available over the next six years.
Openings are also expected in the services sector, from aged care and automotive to hospitality and tourism.
Construction, education and training positions are also said to be in demand, followed by jobs in retail, transport, postal services and warehousing, as well as in scientific and technical services.
Visiting the UK on a 10-day tour to promote Western Australia as a destination for skilled migrants, Mr Collier says the state offers an attractive lifestyle and good working conditions.
“Working in Western Australia will give people the opportunity to develop skills that can be transferable back to their country of origin,” Mr Collier says.
“We aim to show skilled migrants, short-term workers, working holiday makers and their families the opportunities in Western Australia.”
Mr Collier will attend migration expos in England, Scotland and Ireland where he will meet with government representatives and migration agents to promote the opportunities in Western Australia.
