New partnership targets engineers

A new recruitment and settlement services partnership in the Wimmera aiming to boost retention of engineers in the region has already sprouted shoots.

Wimmera Development Association has launched a new affiliation with social-enterprise initiative Work Stay, an organisation that recruits and settles people into new jobs across regional Australia.

The partnership has already borne connections with municipal councils and shires across the region to increase the retention rate of new engineers, in part, because of a comparative disadvantage regional councils face compared with metropolitan employers in a competitive employment sphere.

Work Stay executive director Kate Sowden said the key was to build a candidate pool with prospective employees who valued specific employment with regional councils.

“It is important to be recruiting people, new migrants or otherwise, who specifically want to work with council,” she said.

“Even if people see work- ing for a regional council as a two to five-year period to gain experience, if their desire is to work in council, there remains a smaller risk of them jumping out into other infrastructure projects.

“Many regional towns are impacted in recruiting by state infrastructure projects, large private sector contracts, or by the lure of mining towns, and this can be a huge resource drain on regional areas.” site to download free resources and information to ensure they understand what’s included in the ban, as plastic regulations vary across states and territories,” she said.

Horsham Rural City Council infrastructure director John Martin said often prospective employees for regional council engineering roles could be siphoned away by a lure of higher paying, prestigious infrastructure builds in metropolitan areas.

Horsham Rural City Council recently worked with Work Stay to employ a civil engineer from Pakistan with Masters qualifications and nearly a decade of working experience.

Mr Martin said he admired the enterprise’s model of recruitment, which he said focused on the intricacies of regional-council recruitment in Australia’s competitive engineering sector.

“Businesses can also ask questions at the free online information sessions we host at 11am every Friday, or call our toll-free hotline for advice.”

Change behaviour

Ms Johnson said the ban was a good opportunity to change business and customer behaviours.

“The best alternative is to avoid using or supplying that item by asking if it is something you need – if you’re grabbing takeaway food to eat at home, you probably don’t need disposable cutlery,” she said.

“Another alternative is to use reusable alternatives. If most of your customers dine in-store, then reusable cutlery and plates are a great option to reduce waste.

“Finally, if choosing disposables look for the most sustainable option.

“Alternatives made from compostable or ‘plant-based’ plastics are included in the ban, as they are no better for the environment than plastic when littered.

“We encourage businesses to ask their supplier a few simple questions to ensure alternatives are compliant.”

Ms Johnson said coffee cups and takeaway containers were not included in the ban unless made from expanded polystyrene.

“We believe it’s a well-reasoned ban with alternative options widely available, and while it’s great if businesses take proactive steps on other items, the regulations are designed to be manageable and practical for all organisations to implement now,” she said.

Ms Johnson said the ban applied to all businesses and community groups, but it was important to note that plastic straws would still be available and legal to supply to members of the community who need them.

She said from February 1, businesses cannot sell or supply the banned products no matter when they were purchased.

“Victorian consumers expressed high support for a ban on these items and even if there are a few inconveniences during the transition we tend to find that eases within a matter of weeks as everyone adjusts to the changes,” she said.

Ms Johnson encouraged businesses to communicate with customers, display the posters available on the government website and access free advice if needed, with support services continuing before and after the ban.

She said more information was available online at www.vic.gov.au/ plastics

She said the free hotline number was 1800 844 946 and to register for an information session, people could visit www.eventbrite.com.au/e/vicplastics-ban-business-info-sessionstickets-433412176487

“The key is finding people who have an understanding of us. Often, meeting the needs of the potential employee’s partner is just as important as the needs of the employee,” he said.

“As a social enterprise, I think Work Stay are on the right track. Their commission is invested back into their recruitment work.”

WDA executive director Chris Sounness said Work Stay would complement the work of the association’s set- tlement services programs that often contributed to a relocated workers’ cultural adaption to Wimmera life.

WDA settlement services manager Sara Barron said Work Stay’s program would focus specifically on the new employee’s engagement with their employer, as well as initial relocation-related requirements, while WDA would continue to provide longer term supplementary assimilation for the new employee.

– Michael Scalzo