Workforce Development-

The Challenges and Opportunities in Tasmanian

Agriculture

Shellfish Futures Conference August 2012 TASMANIAN FARMERS & GRAZIERS

ASSOCIATION

Mid 20th Century over 50% employed in Ag, Forestry & Fishing, Mining and Manufacturing - Today it is just 13% (“Australian Jobs 2012”; Department Education, Employment and Workplace Relations)

•  Farming not what it was even 10 years ago. v Once: jacks-of-all-trades, master of............ v Today: increasingly specialised – specific knowledge and skills

v Once: farm & knowledge handed down from father to son - the traditional ways enough –Why change! v Today: Current knowledge and skill needed to survive changing face of farming v Once: least academically inclined son stayed on farm – the bright ones got a career v Today: bright young things get the farm – sons and daughters

Where We Are At Now? Tasmanian workforce today •  43% aged 45+ •  35% employed part-time • 56% employed regionally (ie outside Hobart )

Time we got active in the workforce planning space Industry Skills Plan: Agriculture

October 2011-June 2014

Skills shortage or labour shortage? Ø What skills are needed – are they really in short supply?

Ø On-farm v broader agriculture needs

Ø Competing with mining industry

Ø Selling the life – can’t compete in $$$

Ø Need to change the traditional view of agriculture

• 

Technology developments

changing the face of farming Need to be more tech savvy

Computer literacy needed

A vast array of tools available but need

skills to use.

Increasing regulation and compliance regimes

RED TAPE GREEN TAPE

A greater level of business skills needed in

order to negotiate the myriad of red and green tape and compliance regimes faced

with today

.

If this is where we are at then where to from here?

Workforce Planning – What does it mean?

• Workforce Planning has a similar role as a road sign

•  If you don’t react to the sign you may come to grief •  To manage for the future need to make better decisions now and progressively as we move towards the future.

• Not about tomorrow’s decision it is about today’s decisions for tomorrows scenario. Predicting future needs based on data.

Challenges? • Aging population making more competitive to attract labour

- Baby boomers are leaving NOW - Gen Y – not enough

•  Mobile Workforce In Australia each year – ü  approx 1 million will change jobs ü  hundreds of thousands also change industry ü  demographers predict this number will increase

•  Competing with other industries – mining ü  How do we attract people to a sector that cannot

compete with $$ paid in other sectors? ü  Lifestyle? ü  Target tree changers?

Traditional view of ag

Need to change the image – make it sexy • Not just about driving a tractor • Own worst enemies – change has to start from ground up • Need to convince farmers to spend $$ on up-skilling • Broad range of careers available and needed §  Agronomists § Computer programmers § Accountants § Lawyers § Marketers § Stock agents § And the list goes on and on and on...............

Opportunities….. •  This states economy relies heavily on agriculture • 2nd largest employer outside of the public service •  NBN – training to the door •  Government have seen the figures too Ø  Currently Federal Government is willing to invest in skills Ø  Ascertain your needs and look around – you will probably find a funding stream to suit

- NWDF 2/3 subsidised - digital learning - PPP

•  United we stand ...........

• Small state with limited funding and employment pool (representing just 2% of the nations employment) • Identify synergies between in training needs

• Share resources – adapt models to suit needs of each individual industry