Training skills shortages faced by Australia’s councils

Australia’s councils are grappling to keep up with demand for easily-accessible, cost-efficient, and informative training for their workforces—a growing need for all sectors and one which prompted the launch of Green Ticket digital environmental training.

Almost one third of Australia’s councils report having unmet training needs, according to a national review reported in Government News. (Clark, 2018). The full review will be released by the Australian Local Government Association in February 2019, with the preliminary findings outlined in the Government News article.

‘Staff training was … found to be lacking with almost one third of councils reported having unmet training needs…’(Clark, 2018). More than 60 per cent of the local government (LG) sector respondents indicated ‘finding quality trainers to deliver locally’ as one of the key challenges in sourcing training. Nearly 60 per cent of LG respondents found the cost to send staff away for training to be prohibitive; just over 50 per cent found a lack of time an issue; and circa 45 per cent found sourcing courses with relevant content a key challenge. The Government News article reported a ‘critical skills shortage’ and ‘just under 70 per cent of councils reported a shortage of key occupations’. Environmental health officers were one of the most in-demand occupations.

Green Ticket Director Bill Haylock points to the growing need for effective, efficient, and economical training as one of the driving forces behind the Green Ticket offering.

‘Our market research found that while environmental awareness training was critical for organisations, so they could meet their environmental compliance statutory regulations, it was also a key corporate governance issue,’ Mr Haylock said. ‘We must acknowledge the public’s demand for environmental consideration to be highly regarded. Environmental awareness and conservation are topical in our media, around our boardrooms, and exist in our daily routines. So, while environmental awareness training is paramount for any worker who has the potential to contaminate, pollute, or damage the environment or heritage, it is also seen as a virtue of good global corporate citizenship.’

Mr Haylock and his team developed Green Ticket to disrupt the expensive, inflexible, and time-intensive face-to-face training models that had been stock standard during his 35-plus year career to date.

‘If training quality and appropriate content, time, and cost are barriers to workers being trained in environmental awareness and risk management, then using a digital platform with in-built assessment tools, such as Green Ticket can assist,’ Mr Haylock said. ‘What is essential, is that workers get trained in the identification of environmental risk and how to be aware of environmental conservation requirements. It’s not a desire but a requirement for many businesses and it is why the local government sector report identifies environmental health officers as one of the most in-demand jobs. I expect environmental awareness qualifications and accreditations such as receiving a Green Ticket, will become a standard requirement.’

References
Clark, G. (2018, December 17). Councils face major skills shortages, national review finds. Government News. Retrieved from https://www.governmentnews.com.au/councils-face-major-skills-shortages-national-review-finds/