Queensland needs 120,000 skilled workers
By WILFREDO RODOLFO III/Business Mirror | 12/01/2008 9:28 AM
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CEBU CITY—While jobs in the United States and Europe are being lopped off by the thousands, the opposite is happening in Australia’s second-biggest state, Queensland, where over 120,000 skilled workers have to be hired in the run-up to 2010.
The state’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) export office recently held a job mission in Cebu to encourage workers to consider working in Australia, particularly in Queensland.
“There are so many investments and development, yet there are not enough people who will take up the available jobs in Australia,” said Katherine Mernane, director for the export office. VET is composed of the local and national government, employers, as well as training providers.
Mernane said workers would be needed in tourism and hospitality, business, accounting, hair dressing as well as in health and community services. Queensland has a 4-million population.
She cited as well a high demand for workers in the transport, forestry, water, energy and industry development sectors.
Linda Brown, director for Metropolitan South Institute, said Australia is “well-positioned financially” compared to other developed countries that are in the midst of the global financial troubles.
“We have an ageing population [such] that in 2015, there will be more people over 50 than those under 25,” added Brown in explaining their continuing need for workers.
Michael Hall, executive officer of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, said the biggest advantage of Filipinos is their ability to speak English.
The VET export office has developed Philippine partners and they are being supported to be able to provide accredited training while at the same time processing visas for workers who want to work in Australia.
One such company is Integrity Learning International Phils., which conducts a 3-month caregiving training for workers. After three months, the workers are sent to Queensland to continue their training at the Charlton Brown institute as working students.
