Initiatives to supply agricultural labour

• New ‘Here for WA’ campaign to connect job seekers with opportunities across regional Western Australia
• McGowan Government and industry leaders working together to support agriculture, fisheries and food jobs
• New program to help track agriculture labour needs and match skilled workers with vacancies

The FoodAllianceWA’s ‘Here for WA’ campaign will help connect job seekers with opportunities across the agriculture, fisheries and food sectors, and build confidence in the State’s food security.

The rapidly-changing COVID-19 crisis and restrictions on the movement of people is having a significant impact on the agricultural labour force.

The FoodAllianceWA is a network of agrifood industry associations, including the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, who have come together to assist the State Government address labour shortage issues across the sector.

The McGowan Government has supported a range of workforce initiatives including a new website to connect workers with potential regional employers, an online searchable employment database for skilled workers under 30, and additional resources directed into industry-based career programs.

The new website – http://www.jobsinwafoodandag.com – will allow workers seeking employment in regional WA to register their interest and connect with regional employers, labour hire companies and recruitment businesses looking for casual, skilled and unskilled workers.

Western Australia agriculture and food businesses have been provided with 12 months free access to the online database, providing employers with access to more than 7,500 skilled tertiary students and workers under the age of 30.

Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan:

“The COVID-19 crisis has absolutely reinforced the importance of agriculture and we are working closely with WA industry leaders to keep our supply chains open and businesses operating.

“We know primary producers are concerned about labour shortages – the new FoodAllianceWA website will help fill these gaps by connecting businesses with workers who have been displaced from other industries such as hospitality.

“Employers can also search the new online database to find workers with specific skills and qualifications, such as forklift tickets, construction white cards or livestock experience.

“It is important that workers do not travel to regional areas until they have a job secured to comply with the latest travel restrictions and keep our communities safe.”