We’ve all heard the stats: employment growth in hospitality is forecast to rise at a rate of 16.9 percent to 2018; the industry needs 123,000 more workers by 2020. Restaurant & Catering Australia’s 2015 Industry Benchmarking Report revealed an increase in the number of businesses experiencing ‘extreme’ difficulty filling positions – jumping from 22.3 percent to 24.6 percent.
It’s estimated that inbound travel will grow by six percent annually from 2015-2020, with the number of international visitors growing from 7.2 million to over 10 million by 2023-24.
According to Tourism Accommodation Australia, the Industry Benchmarking Report identified that there would be a need for 60,000 skilled positions, requiring a major lift in local recruitment and training.
There are a number of hurdles the hospitality industry faces in being able to tackle this challenge, not least of which is the fact that operators generally work long, unsociable hours that are not conducive to effective recruitment. They’re often more concerned with simply filling positions than with ensuring the new team members are suitable skilled.
Of course there are recruitment services, but with margins as tight as they are in this industry many business owners struggle to justify the extra expense.
This is where jobactive can be of assistance. It’s a recruitment service provided by the federal government, helping operators in all sectors, not just hospitality, find the right staff for their business – at no cost.
A local jobactive provider will talk with the employer, in person or over the phone, about their specific business needs, then recommend a shortlist of screened and job-ready candidates, saving them from having to scour through countless resumes submitted by unsuitable applicants.
jobactive will also assist in pre-employment training and the delivery of work-related equipment, if needed, and will continue to provide support until the new employee(s) settles in.
There are also wage subsidies of up to $10,000 for employers that hire an eligible mature-aged job seeker and retain them for over six months.
For more information, head to https://jobactive.gov.au/find-the-right-fit