MTAA and the Australian Government Department of Employment
MTAA identified that in 2017 the automotive industry has a skills shortage of 27,377 skilled personnel which is forecast to rise to 35,083 in 2017/18. Due to this shortage, MTAA is actively working with Government to increase apprenticeship numbers and to work with industry to provide more automotive vocational skills training programs.
MTAA understands the commitment required from automotive businesses to employ new workers (i.e. apprentices), particularly the investment of time and resources. MTAA recommends that businesses access employment information on the Australian Government Department of Employment’s (the Department) website to identify opportunities for Government assistance.
The Department is responsible for national policies and programs that help Australians find and keep employment and work in safe, fair and productive workplaces.
The Department provides assistance to automotive businesses on:
- Looking for staff (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#im-looking-for-staff): Including access to wage subsidies and advertising on the Job Active website.
- Information on workplace relations (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#i-need-information-on-workplace): Including parental leave, union relations and workplace standards.
- Employing mature aged workers (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#employing-mature-age-workers): Including restart wage subsidies and investing in experienced workers.
- Employing people with disability (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#employing-people-with-disability): Including wage subsidies and internship programs.
- Employing young people (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#employing-young-people): Including wage subsidies and youth job path programs.
- Employing Indigenous Australians (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#employing-indigenous-australians): Including wage subsidies, cadet programs and community development assistance.
- Wage subsidies (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#employing-indigenous-australians): The Department provides numerous programs to assist you to employ new workers.
- Information on paid parental leave (https://www.employment.gov.au/employers-0#i-need-information-on-paid-parental): There are new requirements associated with paid parental leave.
Information on the rights and entitlement of employees can also be accessed (https://www.employment.gov.au/employees) and the Department provides reports into automotive professions (https://www.employment.gov.au/occupational-skill-shortages-information#automotive-trades)
Other automotive reports can also be found by searching the website.
For more information on the Australian Government Department of Employment please refer directly to their website.