Regional leaders are calling for immediate tax changes, more support for apprentices and reductions in red tape so retirees and veterans can work more hours.
abc.net.au/news/grey-nomads-retirees-wanted-back-at-work-to-ease-staff-shortages/101371266Desperate Queensland business owners want grey nomads and retirees back on the job and new incentives to lure young workers into trades.A national jobs and skills summit will be held next weekMany small businesses in regional areas are now paying above the minimum wage and even offering financial sweeteners to get people into good jobs outside the city.
They say immediate tax changes are needed for employees with a second job and apprentices won't finish training unless employers have support to "pay the kids more".Daniel Ridgeway owns three restaurants on the Gold Coast and has been in the hospitality industry his whole career."The pool of experienced staff is very, very low," he said.
"For the staff, they're forced to only do an average of 38 hours and they want to work more or get a second job, but they just can't because no-one wants to pay the money."Our staff [will] work 50 hours a week because these young kids want to work save up for a car or a house, but it might be in their bosses restricting them to 38 hours per week.
"Those job network sites aren't really grabbing attention and when they're putting up the Facebook ad, what they found was they engaged the parents as well [of school students]."Further west, River Sands Wines owner David Blackett said it had been several years since he had full staff at his St George winery, with many backpackers still out of the country.
"Once we get them here, they usually have a great time, find they save a lot of money, and make a lot of great friends before they head off." Destination Gold Coast's Rachel Hancock said the perception that the tourism sector was low paying and had no career progression was part of the problem.
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