The Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula region supports a population of almost 57,500 people or 3.5% of South Australia’s total population. Just over 64% of residents live within local government areas of Whyalla and Port Lincoln. The City of Whyalla is the largest population centre with 22,801 followed by the City of Port Lincoln which has a population of 14,452.

The Employment and Skills Unit’s key areas of focus are: 

Employment / Training 

• Management of the SA Works “Working Regions” program which meets the aspirations of the region’s disadvantaged people and addresses the skills shortages of the region.
• Panel member on the Indigenous Employment Panel which enables RDAWEP to be a preferred supplier to DEEWR to implement and manage Indigenous employment programs
• Management of the Eyre Working Regions Network which sets the priorities for resource allocation in the region to support employment and skills initiatives for disadvantaged people
• Support various federal and state government departments to implement programs to execute government policy in training and employment.

Migration and Workforce Development Program 

In August 2011, following an independent review of the Regional Migration and Workforce Development Program, the Department of Trade and Economic Development [DTED] sought agreement from the RDA Boards to cease the associated contract pertaining to delivery of the Migration and Workforce Development program as at 31 December 2011.

The aims of this program were to:

• Management of Immigration SA’s initiative to support employer sponsored migration and workforce development.
• Matching skills of regional employers unable to fill vacancies locally with a suitably skilled applicants from overseas in the event of labour market shortages across the region
• Monitor current and future skilled labour shortages across regional South Australia
• Ensure regional business and industry is aware of all workforce options, including employer sponsored migration schemes. Practical assistance is provided to streamline application processes.
• Attract skilled migrants to regional SA, by marketing and promoting regional employment opportunities & lifestyle advantages.

The program also included the provision of workforce development initiatives provide SA country business and industry with the tools to get the right people, grow the right people & keep the right people. This is essential if regional business is to remain competitive, locally & globally. Workforce planning addresses activities such as:

• building a positive business brand – becoming an employer of choice
• attraction/recruitment/selection of staff
• induction/training/retention
• incentives/rewards and performance management.

RDAWEP have continued to express its disappointment with the cancellation of this contract and in light of the existing and the emergence of additional mining and renewable energy ventures, the Board will continue to lobby for reinstatement of the program, which will greatly assist businesses in sourcing additional skilled labour.

The Board encourages businesses to formally raise their concerns with DTED on the cessation of the program and highlight the resulting impact on the workforce within the region.

For information and assistance in relation to Skilled Migration click on this link.