Howard Government Skills Crisis Continues

January 27 2005 - An Australian Labor Party statement criticises the Howard Government's handling of the skills crisis.

According to the statement, a new report reveals more evidence today that the skills crisis which has developed under the Howard Government is continuing to hurt Australian business with skilled vacancies rising over the past year in several key sectors.

The latest Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Skilled Vacancies Index shows businesses in the information and communications technology (ICT), science, building and engineering, health, food, electrical and electronics sectors are still having trouble finding workers thanks to the Howard Government's failure to address the skills crisis.

In the 12 months ending in January 2005 skilled vacancies in the professions are up 5.3 per cent while in the vital information and communications technology (ICT) sector vacancies are up 63.7 per cent over the same period.

Over the past 12 months the professions worst affected by the Howard Government's skills crisis include: Building and Engineering (up 11.3 per cent), Health (up 3.8 per cent), Accountants and Auditors (up 27.6 per cent), Organisation and Information (up 12.1 per cent) and Science (up 2.9 per cent).

The statement continues that: the Howard Government is turning thousands of qualified Australians away from TAFE and university every year when many of our businesses need skilled workers.

The skills crisis is already costing Australia dearly, particularly in areas like information and communications technology, but the worst impacts of the Howard Government's skills crisis will be felt in the longer term.

Business groups have also warned the Howard Government that the skills crisis is discouraging investment and putting upward pressure on wages across key Australian industry sectors.

Employers in several key trades have also been experiencing significant shortages over the 12 months ending in January 2005 including; Metals (up 1.4 per cent), Electrical and electronics (up 11.2 per cent) and Food (up 11.6 per cent).

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