Jobs & Skills Summit 2022

As announced at the Jobs and Skills Summit in September 2022, in order to strengthen the pipeline of skilled labour, government will increase the permanent migration intake from 160,000 to 195,000 this year, extend visas, and relax work restrictions on international students.

These are just two of the 36 immediate initiatives the government agreed on, including the announcement of the Agriculture Workforce Tripartite Agreement and working groups to help address specific labour challenges facing the sector.

This is a step in the right direction for the Australian dairy processing sector, which is currently tackling a shortage of skilled labour. Almost one-quarter of the dairy processing sector’s workforce is in the two highest skilled categories of jobs in Australia.

ADPF had the opportunity to join Minister Watt’s Workforce Issues Roundtable in the lead up to the Jobs and Skills Summit and discuss the unique challenges and opportunities facing the dairy processing sector.

ADPF asked that any visa options be broadened to include the dairy processing sector and the National Skills Occupation Priority list’s expanded to include key dairy processing positions such as Dairy Production Workers and Automation Engineers.

With the Jobs and Skills Summit now complete, the ADPF looks forward to contributing to the new working group and the Employment White Paper that will follow.

For more information on the Jobs and Skills Summit outcome, click here: https://bit.ly/3en7YmI

ENDS