The Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) has launched a program to attract recent graduates to the skills shortage-hit local government sector.

The Get On Board initiative is an element of the WALGA’s ongoing recruitment strategy that comprises a state-wide television advertising campaign, an overseas recruitment service as well as a series of careers and employment expos both in WA and overseas.

WALGA president Bill Mitchell said the program would complement the recruitment initiatives being conducted by a number of councils across WA.

“Local Government in Western Australia faces the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining staff to the sector,” Cr Mitchell said.

“This initiative will provide Local governments with support in promoting the sector as well as giving school leavers the opportunity to learn about roles from those people directly involved in them.”

He said while the sector covered 30 different professional streams ranging from lifesaving to accounting employing over 12,000 people, there was a lack of awareness in relation to graduate prospects.

“Local governments in WA have the advantage of being able to offer young graduates an attractive career package virtually anywhere in the state that many industries would find hard to match.

“The Get On Board promotional packs are designed to show students the broad career prospects that WA Local governments have to offer, and we anticipate that this will become a continuing initiative for promoting Local Government careers in the future,” Cr Mitchell said.