Local efforts to set up a one-stop-shop for job seekers and employers was a major outcome of an intensive two-hour forum on overcoming the skills shortage in the Penrith area, said Steve Willingale, acting CE0, of the Penrith Valley Economic Development Corporation (PVEDC).

Other major outcomes were the use of the internet, a directory, a strong brand name for the clearing house and the need to “excite” school students about apprenticeships.

More than 50 representatives from business and employment service providers attended the Skills Shortage Forum, organised by the PVEDC in partnership with Penrith City Council.

PVEDC chairman, John Bateman, said the PVEDC realised the need to hold the forum following the results of surveys it had conducted in recent years “The aim of the forum is to focus on actions,” he said in opening the forum.

Alan Stoneham, council’s general manager designate, reading from the prepared speech of Mayor Greg Davies, who was unable to attend, said that while work was being done at the national level to overcome the problem “we can and we must help ourselves; it is vital that we work at the local level.”

Mr Willingale said discussion ranged across issues such as transport, trade skills, flexibility of employers, training delivery, the lack of expertise that owners of small and medium size firms had in administering relevant paperwork, older people re-entering the workforce, the need to “excite” school students about the trades and the variety of work within them, school curricula with a bias for potential university students and language difficulties.

David Bradbury, Federal MP for Lindsay, said many good ideas flowed from the forum: “We have to harness them and set up to make them work.” He said the opportunity existed to establish a model which could be used at the local level in other regions.

“The forum was fantastic. It was really the start of a series of future gatherings to find solutions to the trade skills shortage problem,” said Steve Willingale, acting CEO, of the Penrith Valley Economic Development Corporation.

“Essentially a lot of individual organisations have viewpoints that have not been voiced in one room. So now they are all (recorded) to be analysed, and a considered effort will be made to go forward to solve the problem,” he said.

Mr Willingale said a number of participants lamented the demise of the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES) and WestJobs, a regional employment initiative. He said the forum’s proceedings would be published with copies sent to participants.



Email your views on this story to swillingale@pvedc.com.au.

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