We have been servicing the South Australian (SA) market for some time now and more recently we opened an office in Adelaide. Through our observations of the market and conversations with our local customers and partners, we’re seeing that SA is set to face some challenges in the coming years due to an aging workforce and skill shortages. With the development of major infrastructure projects and new mining operations in SA, looms some trepidation as to whether the state’s workforce is equipped to meet the demands and requirements of these projects.

The Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology’s South Australia Labour Market Overview 2011 reported that SA has an older than average population and that the labour force participation rate for mature workers has been steadily rising over the last several years – 73% of workers were aged between 45 – 64 in February 2011.

As the SA market continues to grow in various industry sectors such as Building and Construction, Mining, Engineering and Electro-Technology, a large portion of SA’s workforce will be considering or on the brink of retirement. Consequently what does this mean for the development of these major projects if over the next 10 years the majority of SA’s workforce is going to be exiting?

An obvious solution would be to sit back and let the next generation of workers step up to the plate, however we found that SA has a comparatively low skill level with that of the rest of Australia. The South Australia Labour Market Overview 2011 indicates that this may be due to a historical reliance on industries requiring less skilled workers and the comparatively older workforce.

Perhaps those next in line aren’t so well equipped after all.

So who will keep the wheels turning while SA’s infrastructure flourishes and skill shortages become more prevalent? White collar contractors – that’s who! Over the past few years Australian businesses have increasingly turned to white collar contractors (referred to as Independent Professionals or IPros by Entity Solutions) as a way of solving staffing shortages, and gaining specific skills or knowledge and support in various projects and assignments.

The answer to SA’s workforce woes may be to create staffing strategies that include contract roles in the mix; allowing them to maximise the value of their local skilled workers by spreading them out across multiple projects. Businesses who cast their nets nationally and offshore to acquire talent on an assignment basis may also realise the benefits that engaging IPros can bring to a project.

We are so excited about the potential growth of the contracting market in SA. For SA companies contemplating engaging IPros, you can seek help here. For those who are interested in taking up a contracting role in SA, a simple solution awaits. 

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