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[Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences] ABARES surveyed 600 vegetable, horticulture and cotton farmers in 2015-16 to investigate their use of hired labour, recent recruitment experiences and expected future requirements for labour. The survey was conducted before the Government brought in changes to the tax rate applied to working holiday makers (the so called 'backpacker tax'). This survey did not seek to determine farmers' expected labour force responses or losses from changes to the tax. Instead, it focused on understanding the current farm workforce. The results from this survey could provide a base case for examining changes in the make-up of the labour force in the future. In general, labour use (measured by total expenditure and wages as a proportion of total cash costs) is greater in the vegetable, horticulture and cotton industries than in other agricultural industries. However, the large distribution in the amount and type of labour used reflects the diversity of farm types captured by these surveys. In the vegetable and horticulture industries, most farm employees are seasonal workers and most of these employees are working in Australia on a visa. In contrast, the cotton industry has more full-time employees, and those workers classified as seasonal are generally Australian or New Zealand residents. In 2015-16, most farms did not face challenges filling vacancies or recruiting staff. Most farmers indicated that they did not intend to change or would make minimal changes to their businesses over the next five years. However, farmers believed they would need to acquire new skills and knowledge to cope with a changing external environment. Farmers saw lower farm business profits and the availability and quality of labour as the greatest workforce challenges facing farm businesses over the next five years. Some farms identified the backpacker tax as a potential major workforce difficulty. This was of more concern to horticulture farmers (14 per cent) than to vegetable farmers (6 per cent). None of the cotton farms surveyed indicated that the backpacker tax was a likely future issue.

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This extensive report, prepared on behalf of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), the National Farmers Union (NFU) and a number of other food chain organisations, sets out the labour and skills shortages across the food chain, drawing on a range of evidence to illustrate the breadth and scale of the issues faced. It outlines the consequences of not addressing the labour challenges faced by the industry, such as reduced choice and availability for consumers, increased prices, and reduced growth of the domestic food chain. The report sets out a range of recommendations for the UK Government to support the food chain through the disruption caused by [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19. Alongside increased opportunities for the domestic workforce to train up and start a new career in the food chain, the report proposes a one year Covid recovery visa to support the sector to cope with the immediate fallout of the pandemic. In terms of longer term solutions, the report calls for partnership with Government to promote the careers opportunities in food and drink, make the Kickstart scheme more accessible to a wider pool of younger people, expand the Lifetime Skills Guarantee to cover more food and drink courses and to deliver greater flexibility within Apprenticeship Levy.

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The handbook is intended for those seeking to enter the tourism industry. It provides information on current developments and trends in tourism and opportunities for vocational training and further training in this sector at universities, specialised colleges of higher education, academies and professional schools in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. There is also information on the different occupations, work tasks and earning and advancement prospects. The handbook includes a list of useful addresses and suggestions for additional reading. Show less

This report provides a stocktake of the construction industry in Australia and describes current market conditions, the medium term industry outlook, and impediments to the future growth and development of the sector, such as the global economic and financial crisis, labour and capital supply constraints and high costs. The report is supplemented by the findings of the Australian Industry Group Construction Update, a survey of 78 companies, employing around 48,500 people and with a combined turnover of almost $31 billion. Target participants included leading companies engaged in commercial building, civil engineering and infrastructure, mining and resources and house/apartment building. Shortages in the skills required by the industry remains a significant issue. Attracting and retaining skilled labour is a major challenge for constructors. Skills formation and training is needed by the industry to assist in alleviating the shortage of skilled labour and to address the long-term imperatives of changes to work organisation, technology advancements, and the needs of clients. Show less

Australians deserve to age with dignity. By 2031, nearly 20 per cent of the population is expected to be aged over 65, up from around 16 per cent currently. Investing in the aged-care sector to provide better care for more people must be a national priority. Aged-care workers currently care for more than 1.3 million Australians, both in the home and in residential settings. But as more Australians enter old age, we have failed to prepare for the human challenge at the centre of aged care by building a workforce that is both big enough and well-equipped to meet community expectations. As demand has soared amid major constraints on supply, there has been no comprehensive action to bring the two into balance.

Demand for workers is rapidly increasing due to demographic changes, increases to minimum staffing levels and new funding to address unmet demand. At the same time, low wages, a lack of career progression and poor training outcomes, combined with negative public perceptions of the industry, are constraining the supply of workers. The recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, while critically important, further add to demand with the need for more care at a higher quality. If the workforce continues expanding at its current glacial pace, [Committee for Economic Development of Australia] CEDA estimates that within the next decade there will be a shortage of 110,000 direct aged-care workers, and by 2050 more than 400,000 workers. Direct-care workers include personal-care assistants, nurses and allied-health staff (such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech pathologists amongst others).

Meeting the challenge requires: (1) Better wages and working conditions; (2) Getting more people into training, improving training outcomes and investing in ongoing development; (3) Continued migration, with new paths to attract high-quality, motivated workers; (4) Investment in new technology that reduces the burden on staff and improves care outcomes; and (5) Knowledge sharing and promotion of the industry.

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Over the last 18 months, the [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the value of science and our scientists. From vaccines developed at record-breaking speed to epidemiological modelling and mask safety, science has been our salvation. But the herculean effort by Australia's scientific community has come at a cost. As this year's report highlights, after more than a year of the pandemic, Australia's scientists feel overworked, underpaid and under stress. It is crucial that the value scientists give to society is matched in the way we value scientists - and their pay and workplace conditions. This report offers an evidence-base of current and comprehensive data on remuneration to help scientists to negotiate salaries at review time. It is a reference point for those considering a job offer and can assist to make an informed judgement about whether or not to move on to another role.

Professional Scientists Australia and Science and Technology Australia conduct this broad-ranging annual survey to provide accurate and up-to-date information on salaries and workplace conditions. It is a snapshot of pay including base salary and other benefits across sectors, responsibility levels, years of experience, job functions, industries and fields of science. For the 1,275 professional scientists who completed the 2021-22 survey, the report analyses: (1) current base salaries and total remuneration packages; (2) annual salary movements; (3) employment intentions; (4) variable pay; (5) the general morale of scientists; (6) the difference in reported male and female earnings; and (7) working hours and how additional hours are compensated.

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In 2022, the Tech Council of Australia (TCA) made a commitment with the Australian Government to reach 1.2 million tech workers in Australia by 2030. This report is the first in-depth update on progress against the target, and shows we're on track to reach our shared goal. Most of the recent growth in tech jobs has been driven by the indirect tech sector. Of the 10,500 jobs added in the last three months, 8,200 were tech intensive jobs in the indirect tech sector which includes all non-tech industries, like mining and banking, across the Australian economy. And despite news of layoffs, demand in the direct tech industry remains stable. The direct tech industry has produced a net gain in jobs - despite a small loss of tech-intensive jobs - with growth in other types of jobs within tech companies.

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