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Attracting and retaining people (In2Dairy)

Background:

The profitability of all 7500 dairy farm businesses across Australia relies on having an efficient and productive workforce. Building the capacity to ensure suitably skilled people are available and eager to work in the dairy industry is an industry issue.

Needs and gaps in the workforce differ from region to region. Region-specific circumstances, such as economic growth, mix of industries, demographic and level of employment shape both the issues and nature of a suitable response. It is necessary for the industry to develop an overarching strategy for this area, and work with regions to establish customised responses. 

Increasing the visibility of the dairy industry and dairy careers at school level is a longterm investment which contributes both to the future workforce and the industry image.

Project objective:

An industry-wide approach to workforce planning and action (with relevant data available) will contribute to ensuring that suitably skilled people are available and eager to work in the industry.

Project scope:

The In2Dairy: Assistant Farmhand pilot program is a joint initiative between the federal govt (the Job Services Australia network, WestVic Staffing Solutions), Vic govt (DIIRD), dairy industry (WestVic Dairy, NCDEA, Dairy Australia) and NGOs (Brotherhood of St Laurence, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust).

By mid-2011 this pilot aims to:

  • provide 16 new trainees in Western Victoria
  • that farmers recommend the process to others
  • the agencies are strongly networked and enthusiastic to replicate the process
  • lessons are highly transferrable to other Regional Development Programs.
  • Approx 170 schools and 6000 students across all regions will participate in 2010-11.

Outcomes/benefits:

The overall objective of this project is that there is better workforce planning and more coordinated action in the regions and nationally. The outcomes that contribute to this objective are:

  • A tested process for pre-farm gate workforce planning and action operating in one region, and the lessons learned available for other regions
  • Relevant regional and national data available (The People Report)
  • Cows Create Careers programs running in all regions

More information:

For more information, please contact Pauline Brightling.