Report rings alarm bells on local government workforce

A national survey of the local government workforce has put a spotlight on a rapidly ageing workforce grappling with a “critical” skills shortage.

15 March, 2019

Councils face major skills shortages, national review finds

Local government professionals are “not well positioned” in new and emerging soft skills, according to a forthcoming national review.

17 December, 2018

Steps to attract the best procurement talent

By Craig Donaldson The complex economic environment in Australia and around the world will have a significant impact on public sector chief procurement officers (CPOs) in 2011. Cost management will always remain a central issue for CPOs in government, and the differing economic performance and development opportunities for each Australian state will also have challenging […]

7 March, 2011

Bridging the gap in professional development

By Angela Dorizas The Australian Institute of Management (AIM) has joined forces with Infrastructure Australia to bridge a gap in the professional development offering for infrastructure professionals. AIM has developed a new master class in proposal development to improve the standard of infrastructure planning and delivery. David Wakeley, chief executive of AIM NSW & ACT, said there […]

18 February, 2011

Public sector workforce on the move

By Angela Dorizas Government employers face increasing workforce liquidity and returning skills shortages, according to the latest research by a leading recruitment firm. Hudson conducted a survey of 605 government employers and 1690 employees as part of its annual 20:20 Series report. The 2010 report, Positioning for Growth, found that one-third of survey respondents were either actively or passively seeking a […]

26 August, 2010

Business as (un)usual

Local government must change the way it operates to cope with myriad future challenges. Angela Dorizas reports. Stable or lower government grants, increased service demands from an ageing population, infrastructure backlogs, the implementation of government climate change initiatives: these are just some of the future challenges councils can expect. In his address to the recent […]

6 April, 2010

Public sector faces chronic leadership crisis

By Rob O’Brien Local government is among a number of sectors facing a leadership crisis according to a recent report conducted in Victoria and Tasmania. A survey by the Australian institute of Management’s (AIM) Workforce Skills Gap found a worrying shortage of leadership skills, with experts blaming the extra scrutiny and accountability faced by people […]

9 February, 2010

Reform needed to combat skills shortage: LGMA

Skills requirments in local government over the next five to ten years will be determined by an ageing population, the global financial crisis and new ways of doing business, according to the Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA). The issues were discussed at the National Local Government Skills Forum facilitated by the LGMA in Melbourne, which covered the impact of […]

3 March, 2009

Get on board with local government

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 […]

29 September, 2008

Local govt moves to shatter glass ceiling

The Australian local government sector has named 2010 as the Year of Women in Local Government in a move to break the glass ceiling women still face in its workforce.    The decision builds on the agendas discussed at a national forum convened by the Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA). LGMA national president Ray Pincombe told […]

10 September, 2008

Worsening ICT skills shortages could slow economy

The skills shortage in the ICT sector will grow by almost 30 per cent over the next two years and inaction on the issue could slow economy, a report has warned. The report, released by the Centre for Innovate Industry Economic Research, also forecasts the skills shortage in the sector will become more acute in […]

12 August, 2008

WA first state to adopt skills shortage program

The Western Australian workforce will be the first to benefit from a Federal Government program designed to address skills shortages across a range of industries. The Productivity Places Program aims at providing 450,000 new training places nationally over the next four years. WA is the first state to join the program, piloting an initiative to […]

14 May, 2008

Mildura takes scholarly approach to skills shortage

By Adam Coleman Victoria’s Mildura Rural City Council has developed a scholarship program for engineers in an attempt to make some inroads into overcoming the problem of local skills shortages. “We’ve had a lot of trouble attracting and retaining skilled engineers, and this was a way of growing our own and contributing to the profession,” […]

10 October, 2006