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Workforce attitudes, such as intent to stay, leave temporarily, or exit permanently from nursing, develop at an early career stage. This paper explores the mismatch between the challenges faced by nursing graduates (of whom many belong to Generation Y) in obtaining a Registered Nurse (RN) position following graduation and the continuing shortages in nurse workforce in aged care and mental health areas. Current Australian literature reveals the discontent of university graduates seeking positions in an industry that does not make arrangements to employ graduates, but concomitantly reports workforce undersupply. Areas of nursing shortages of concern discussed in this paper are aged care and mental health nursing.

A number of reasons may explain why these areas are depleted of nurses: an ageing workforce, unattractive market positions for new graduate nurses and negative perceptions of the aged care and mental health sectors. Also, numerous generational negative opinions expressed in academic literature and popular media serve to discourage newly graduating nurses from working in these areas. The paper offers potential solutions to address three main issues raised in the discussion. Firstly, addressing the shortage of new graduate positions is an effort to retain qualified but inexperienced nurses. Secondly, drawing on the pool of new graduates to supply aged care and mental health rejuvenates these specialty areas and ensures these nursing fields are well catered for. Finally, directing efforts to retain new graduate nurses is an opportunity to address the 2025 projected Australian nurse workforce shortfall.

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The maldistribution of health workers globally and within the Asia Pacific region remains problematic. While globalisation, and the increasing mobility of capital and labour, helps to reduce inequalities between countries, it increases inequality within countries. This study examines health workforce data and densities in the Asia Pacific region through a health workforce migration lens. The main implication relevant to achievement of sustainable development goals is the need for countries to work in a co-ordinated way in this region to increase substantially health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing states, most notably the Maldives, Timor-Leste, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

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In line with the principle of sustainable development, construction projects ought to be developed to bring benefits across all aspects, namely economic, social, and environmental. On the other hand, being a complex, fragmented and schedule driven industry, construction projects are frequently subject to problems that constrain their execution. Since construction is a labour intensive industry, the shortage of labour has become the crucial risks hindering the construction project in achieving sustainability. This paper, in reviewing the concept of sustainable construction, also addresses the influential factors concerning the labour shortages in the construction industry and discusses how these challenges can be managed in producing sustainable construction labours.

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It is difficult to fathom the words 'skilled labour shortage' in a country of over 160 million, but the challenge of shortage of trained skilled construction labour is glaring in the industry. The purpose of the study was to examine professionals' preference for migrant craftsmen in Lagos State. A survey research design through the administration of questionnaires was used for the study. A convenience sampling method was used for the study in a vibrant sample area Lekki, Lagos where there are high volumes of building construction activities. From the 45 construction sites visited in Lekki, Lagos only 30 construction sites were responsive to the study representing a 67 per cent response rate. The data were compiled and calculations performed using SPSS 21.0.

The result showed that migrant craftsmen from four major countries in West Africa namely Benin, Ghana, Niger and Togo, are preferred by construction professionals for crafts work on building construction sites. The factor influencing the choice of migrant craftsmen is due to the shortage of skilled local craftsmen in the construction industry. The major factors mitigating against the use of local craftsmen are that they cut corners in carrying out their craft, they rush their work and they are not keen on improving their training. The preference for migrant craftsmen would result in an adequate supply of craftsmen in the industry and consequently unemployment for local craftsmen. It was recommended that local content act should be enacted and enforced for construction companies in the Nigerian construction industry to ensure an adequate quota for local professionals and craftsmen on construction sites. Nigerian institutions aimed at providing trade skill improvement programs for local craftsmen should be revamped in order to obtain skills to evolve and survive in the competitive construction industry.

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Background: Good drug regulation requires an effective system for monitoring and inspection of manufacturing and sales units. In India, despite widespread agreement on this principle, ongoing shortages of drug inspectors have been identified by national committees since 1975. The growth of India's pharmaceutical industry and its large export market makes the problem more acute. Methods: The focus of this study is a case study of Maharashtra, which has 29 per cent of India's manufacturing units and 38 per cent of its medicines exports. India's regulations were reviewed, comparing international, national and state inspection norms with the actual number of inspectors and inspections. Twenty-six key informant interviews were conducted to ascertain the causes of the shortfall.

Results: In 2009-2010, 55 per cent of the sanctioned posts of drug inspectors in Maharashtra were vacant. This resulted in a shortfall of 83 per cent, based on the Mashelkar Committee's recommendations. Less than a quarter of the required inspections of manufacturing and sales units were undertaken. The Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act and its Rules and Regulations make no provisions for drug inspectors and workforce planning norms, despite the growth and increasing complexity of India's pharmaceutical industry. Conclusion: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) falls short of the Mashelkar Committee's recommended workforce planning norms. Legislation and political and operational support are required to produce needed changes.

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Background: The Lao People's Democratic Republic is facing a critical shortage and maldistribution of health workers. Strengthening of the health workforce has been adopted as one of the five priorities of the National Health Sector Strategy (2013-2025). This study aims to identify, explore, and better understand the key challenges for strengthening the Laotian health workforce. Methods: This study applied exploratory and descriptive qualitative methods and adapted a working life-span framework. Twenty-three key stakeholders with particular insights into the current situation of the health workforce were purposively recruited for in-depth interviews. Important policy documents were also collected from key informants during the interviews. Thematic analysis was employed for the textual data using MAXQDA 10.

Results: The overarching problem is that there is a perceived severe shortage of skilled health workers (doctors, nurses, and midwives) and lab technicians, especially in primary health facilities and rural areas. Key informants also identified five problems: insufficient production of health workers both in quantity and quality, a limited national budget to recruit enough health staff and provide sufficient and equitable salaries and incentives, limited management capacity, poor recruitment for work in rural areas, and lack of well-designed continuing education programs for professional development. These problems are interrelated, both in how the issues arise and in the effect they have on one another. Conclusions: To improve the distribution of health workers in rural areas, strategies for increasing production and strengthening retention should be well integrated for better effectiveness. It is also essential to take the Laotian-specific context into consideration during intervention development and implementation. Furthermore, the government should acknowledge the inadequate health management capacity and invest to improve human resource management capacity at all levels. Finally, assessment of interventions for health workforce strengthening should be developed as early as possible to learn from the experiences and lessons in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

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