Federal Minister visits head office
The invitation came during a meeting last Friday between the Federal Minister for Workforce Participation, the Hon Dr Sharman Stone, and industry representatives at Printing Industries national office in Auburn, Sydney.
During the hour-long meeting Dr Stone was briefed by Printing Industries CEO Philip Andersen, national policy and research manager Hagop Tchamkertenian, national operations manager Robert Fuller and offset alpine human resource manager Stuart Hoogstad.
Dr Stone was told that Printing Industries research showed that labour shortages had become the second most common barrier to increased production levels. This was supported by the latest issue of the Vacancy Report issued by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations which shows that the printing trade reported the second highest rate of increase in vacancies during the year to April.
The Minister acknowledged the problem and said that opportunities exist for the industry to use the unemployment pool as a potential labour resource to help overcome the shortages. She invited Printing Industries to prepare a plan for the government's consideration using this pool as a basis.
Dr Stone said that a range of government assistance measures were available for printing companies offering employment opportunities to people on welfare. These include wage subsidies and financial assistance for employing a person with a disability. Printing Industries CEO Philip Andersen welcomed the Minister's invitation. "Printing Industries looks forward to working with the Government to help tackle important socio-economic issues such as the transition of people from welfare to the workforce," he said. "This has the potential of making a positive contribution to overcoming some of the labour shortages facing our industry."
"The Australian economy, faced with an ageing population, needs to increase workforce participation rates to ensure that the current phase of economic growth and prosperity continues for as long as possible.
"While the printing industry is employing various strategies to help overcome the labour shortages problem ranging from the provision on internal training to sponsoring skilled workers from overseas and investing in new technology, we also need to tap into the large pool of existing underutilised labour resources," Andersen said.
The Minister commended Printing Industries for its industry promotional DVD Imagine: A world without print? which is part of an initiative to help overcome negative perceptions held by the community about the industry.
With a background 35 years in publishing, Dr Stone agreed that public perceptions about the industry were not a reflection of reality. She described the industry as technologically advanced, computer driven and a great industry to work in that could offer employment opportunities and careers to IT graduates who were struggling to find full time employment.
Pictured left to right: Printing Industries national operations manager Robert Fuller; offset alpine human resource manager Stuart Hoogstad; Printing Industries CEO Philip Andersen; Federal Minister for Workforce Participation, the Hon Dr Sharman Stone and Printing Industries national policy and research manager Hagop Tchamkertenian during the Minister's visit to Printing Industries national office.
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