Interview with John Taylor - ABC Radio Brisbane Drive
JOHN TAYLOR:
At just over 4 per cent, Queensland is enjoying its lowest jobless rate in a couple of decades. But that doesn't mean there aren't jobs out there for the taking. Tomorrow, Brisbane is going to host a jobs fair. Luke Howarth is the Assistant Minister for Youth and Development Services. Luke Howarth, what's the hardest job to fill in Queensland at the moment?
LUKE HOWARTH:
John, at the moment, it's probably carers. They’re in the health care and social assistance industry. That's where the biggest demand is for jobs at the moment. And as Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services, that's the one that we see that’s in most demand.
JOHN TAYLOR:
And are there other skilled jobs that are vacant too?
LUKE HOWARTH:
Yeah, look, the construction, retail trade, education and training, all of these sectors are in demand at the moment with employers wanting more staff. And so that's the entire purpose of the Australian Government's jobs fair tomorrow, to be held at Chandler, just to get people through the door where we will have every job on offer, probably 2500 jobs on offer tomorrow at Chandler, and we want people to come along.
JOHN TAYLOR:
Are there jobs that employers can't find people to fill in Queensland?
LUKE HOWARTH:
Well, look, yes. At the moment, there is [sic] lots of industries that are looking for workers. So, I was talking to DGL Logistics yesterday who runs a trucking company, and they were telling me that there's 20,000 jobs for truck drivers alone on the east coast of Australia right now. So that's just one example, but there's many industries looking for workers. And so that's why we're really keen to keep pushing down the unemployment rate. You rightly said, it was a 4 per cent nationally, but we feel it could even drop lower. And it's a real opportunity for anyone who perhaps hasn't been in the workforce for some time or has had a family and wants to get back into the workforce, now is the time to strike, and there's a really good chance you'll land a job.
JOHN TAYLOR:
So given COVID and the changes it's brought to working from home, where are the opportunities in the digital sphere, where people can work remotely from home?
LUKE HOWARTH:
Yeah, looked at, there is jobs with the IT sector and with programming, and in the digital economy. But a lot of jobs still needed, actually, not at home. So now that COVID is sort of opening back up and people are starting to travel again, international borders are opening, we actually need people to drive trucks, to care for age and disability people with NDIS packages, to work in food and beverage, and to be in trades, whether it's brick laying and so forth, or look after children with early childhood. So yes, there’s work at home. But right now, we need people back out the door, back out mingling with each other, and back out in the workforce, because that's where the shortages are at the moment. As I said, we probably will have 2500 jobs on offer tomorrow. And most of those industries are actually out and about in the community.
JOHN TAYLOR:
You're also the Minister for Youth.
LUKE HOWARTH:
Yeah.
JOHN TAYLOR:
Where are the opportunities for young people just starting out in their career?
LUKE HOWARTH:
Well, there's lots of opportunities, obviously, with apprenticeships and traineeships. So the Australian Government's been pumping a lot of funding into apprenticeships through the Boosting Apprenticeship Scheme and through a trainee support wage, which basically means anyone looking for an apprenticeship at the moment, we're basically paying half the wages. So if you're a tradie and you're looking to put someone on, there's a really good wage subsidy there from the Australian Government. And part of that is just to make sure, because we know that trades people are in demand, to make sure that we've got them there in the future as our community continues to grow.
JOHN TAYLOR:
And the floods have impacted several areas, in several industries, There's a big shortage in available tradespeople. Is that an area that you think young people should look at in the next few years?
LUKE HOWARTH:
Yeah, look, it is, with the flooding so forth. Obviously, Services Australia's paid out something like $815 million in disaster recovery payments and so forth. We don't yet know what the labour market in those areas will look like, but obviously trades are in huge demand, and it's an area that there's real opportunities with at the moment. There's just so many trades on offer, and they'll be on offer tomorrow. We have apprentice hairdressing tomorrow, apprentice barbering. There's brick laying apprentices as well. As well as those early childhood teachers and lead educators, but- marine manufacturing, construction roles. But I want to say to your listeners too John, they're not all skilled jobs, so there are unskilled jobs as well which people can come onto, or jobs that require a little less training. So make sure you get along. There’s labourers, there’s pickers, packers, a whole range of different options.
JOHN TAYLOR:
And does it cost money for people to attend this jobs fair?
LUKE HOWARTH:
No, so it’s absolutely free for anyone that wants to come. It is being held tomorrow at 10 AM to 2:30 PM at the Chandler- Chandler Arena, sorry, at Sleeman Road, Chandler.
JOHN TAYLOR:
Yep.
LUKE HOWARTH:
It's free to attend. We’ll even have some good coffee there. So if you like a barista coffee, you can grab yourself a coffee and take your time to look around, because, as I said, there’ll be 2500 job vacancies. There'll be 52 exhibitors there, 47 employers, as well as different employment services. There'll be a state government booth, and our department, federally, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, will have a lot of staff there. Myself, there as Assistant Minister, I'll be there talking to people. So come along because a lot of jobs are found through networking. And what we offer at these job fairs is we also offer free advice around your resume, so you can bring your resume in just to be looked at. Because some people might not be getting an interview and sending off all these resumes, so it could be a problem with their resume. We’ll fix that. And then we also have workshops about what employers want when hiring. That's at 10:45. We have a Careers in Caring at 11:25. And most importantly, if you've been long-term unemployed, or being out of the workforce during COVID, how to get back into the workforce after long-term unemployment. That's at 12:05. So there’s something for everyone. Make sure you come along.
JOHN TAYLOR:
And is there a website? Say, if people just want to you know, recommend it to their son or daughter or partner or friend, is there a website that they can go to, just so they're up to speed ahead of time?
LUKE HOWARTH:
Look, not for tomorrow. There's no need to look at the website before they come. Obviously, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment has a website, but right now, tomorrow, it won't be online to look at it's all done live. So just turn up on the day and we'll be there to help you out.
JOHN TAYLOR:
Alright. So the details, though, again, are that it is between 10 and 2 at Sleeman Road at Chandler.
LUKE HOWARTH:
Yes. 10 AM to 2:30 PM tomorrow, Wednesday, 23 March. And it's a free event, and everyone is welcome to attend.
JOHN TAYLOR:
And there is the chance, a real chance, that you could get a job if you go there tomorrow?
LUKE HOWARTH:
2500 jobs on offer. And as I said, we know that jobs change people's lives. If you've been out of the workforce for some time, it's the perfect time to find work. And you know, the Australian Government too is cutting taxes as well in the next few years. So what it means is that if you're working, you're going to get to keep more in your own pocket, because basically tax is going to 30 per cent, so right up to 200,000. So it doesn't matter what you earn, if you're doing those extra overtime hours and everything else, reducing tax will mean more in people's pockets as well. So a real incentive for people to land work, get back into the workforce and there's a lot of help tomorrow with the department staff, and myself there from 10:00 AM.
JOHN TAYLOR:
Alright. Luke Howarth, the Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services, thanks for your time.
LUKE HOWARTH:
Thank you.