Inclusivity And Diversity Helping Tackle Skills Shortages

To tackle the ongoing skills shortages in FNQ, the Cairns Regional Jobs Committee is calling on local businesses to focus on embracing inclusivity and diversity.

Skills shortages are affecting every industry, and were in many cases, exacerbated by COVID-19, the reduction in immigration numbers and the growing infrastructure across our region due to increasing economic diversification.

The Cairns RJC is addressing these shortages by encouraging workplaces to demonstrate the ability to adapt their procedures to establish themselves as an employer of choice and aid in attracting new staff and retaining existing ones.

RJC Chairperson Jodie Duignan-George said fostering a positive work environment is vital in any industry.

“This is very much an employees’ market,” she said. “It’s important that workplaces offer flexibility and support work-life balance because these things are important to employees. Employers need to have good policies and practices in place to foster a positive workplace culture as a way to both retain and attract staff.

“If a staff member is unhappy, they will move on to the next job. We’ve seen that employers are starting to open their hearts and minds a bit more to explore alternative ways of doing business and employing staff they may have previously overlooked. Many employers are citing great success stories through engaging workers with disability, neurodiversity and those where English is a second language. These workers can be extraordinarily productive if they’re given the right opportunity.

“As they say, if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always had. Sometimes you need to think outside the box – that’s how you create positive change.”

Ms Duignan-George said she was pleased with the success of the RJC in Cairns, with a number of businesses embracing initiatives of the RJC as they strive towards addressing regional jobs growth, retaining long-term employees and attracting new employees to the workforce, therefore achieving mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders involved.

The Regional Jobs Committee (RJC) was established to identify explore and identify local place-based solutions for the workforce and skills challenges that are endemic to regional cities such as Cairns. Their aim is to, connect local stakeholders with the Queensland Workforce Strategy and promote industry and government programs through resources, working groups or events and expos.

Ms Duigan-George said the RJC had achieved a range of successful outcomes over the past 18 months. A introduction of a new website to act as a one-stop-shop for information and resources to support business and industry on workforce related matters was established. Following advocacy from the Cairns Chamber of Commerce to secure funding from the then Minister, Di Farmer, the Cairns RJC contributed to a workforce plan for the Aviation, Maritime sectors. This important document was launched by Hon Minister Michael Healy at this year’s Maritime Careers open day. A number of successful open days were run, to help industries promote what they do and the opportunities for employment that they offer.

Under a new and revitalised Service Agreement Commencing 2024, the Cairns Regional Jobs Committee has welcomed a new committee to focus on the gaps and goals over the next 12/18 months. The members of the new committee are:

• Jodie Duigan-George – Chair-Tertiary Education Sector
• Anita Veivers – Member- Social Assistance Sector
• Nick Masasso – Member- Local Government
• Bruce Houghton – Member- Higher Education Sector
• Wayne Reynolds – Member- Hospitality & Tourism Sector
• Leigh Harris – Member-Business Sector
• Andrew Wagner – Member-Maritime Sector
• Alana McKenna – Member – Aviation Sector
• Sara Menniti – Member – Construction & Trades Sector
• Leanne Bell – Member- Higher Education Sector
• James Archer – Member – Energy & Renewables Sector
• Cheryl Winstanley – Member – Health Sector

There are some exciting new initiatives on the agenda for the new committee to explore and deliver upon and Ms Duignan-George is looking forward to seeing what the committee can achieve going forward. Some of this will involve continuing with the successful workshops the RJC has planned, particularly around the concept of ‘employer of choice’, Industry Career Open Days and RoundTable discussions to facilitate change and promote opportunities in our region.

Cairns’ businesses have welcomed the initiative, including Cairns Adventure Group, Seville Mercy Conference Centre and White Whale Coffee Roasters.

Cairns Adventure Group director Roderic Rees said staff retention is a huge issue, particularly in the tourism industry.

“The cost of retraining our guides is a $10,000 to $15,000 investment for a base level employee, so we’ve got a vested interest in making really good working conditions and being able to retain those staff through the peaks and troughs that we have seasonally in the tourism industry,” he said.

Roderic believes in giving all staff a voice in the operation of the business, no matter what their position, whether they are part of the management team or entry-level position.

“Attracting staff and being an employer of choice in tourism, is especially hard, and it all comes down to culture,” he said.

“We believe that culture is one of the most important things within a business. If people aren’t happy, the business isn’t going to run well, because people are spending more time at work than they spend with their family.  So, work should be an enjoyable place where you can feel like you’ve got personal and professional development.

“If you want good people, you’ve got to be flexible. Really good staff and high-level people within your organisation want a better work-life balance in this day and age. If employers aren’t providing that, you won’t be able to get the right kind of candidate for the job.

“If you create a work environment that is conducive to people’s personal lives and supports their individual family needs, then you’re going to get higher productivity out of that employee.”

Seville Mercy Centre is an equal opportunity employer that values giving people a go and focusing on their strengths.

Manager Rod-Cole Clarke said the centre currently employs a young man, Tyrone Rossbach, who has autism.

“Overall, it’s been fantastic. The joy that you see on his face, the smiles, it just makes all the little changes that we had to implement well worth it,” he said.

Tyrone has been working at Seville for just over three years – Rod said this longevity reaps the rewards as staff become familiar with the company’s operations and its clientele.

“This was a huge learning curve for us right from the start, but employing people with disabilities really fits into our Mercy ethos. We now employ four people with disabilities at Seville.”

“Our advice to other businesses is, don’t hesitate if you are thinking about employing someone with a disability.
For example, having autism can actually be a superpower. For Tyrone its attention to detail.

“For businesses struggling to get staff, consideration has to be given to people with disabilities. With minor tweaks to processes and procedures, they can perform exactly the same task as any other employee. You just need to find their strengths and focus on them. For many people with a disability, they see it as an opportunity that they didn’t think they’d ever get, and they absolutely value that opportunity and the loyalty they have displayed to us is priceless.”

Mr Cole-Clarke said job advertisements and position descriptions should be written to ensure they are more inclusive so potential candidates feel they can have a go at applying.

“You don’t have to go it alone. There are plenty of people to assist you, the Chamber has been very supportive.
My recommendation is to just do it, don’t hold back.

”White Whale Coffee Roasters co-owner Ali Slotemaker said the company had faced challenges attracting staff over the past couple of years and was relying heavily on Working Holiday Visa employees.

Ms Slotemaker said they had initiated incentives to ensure staff were retained on a long-term basis and to ensure they felt challenged and had growth opportunities.

“This has been an enlightening experience for me and really made me lean into people, culture and how we can be the best employer possible. We were one of the first businesses in Cairns to implement the mental health first aid course. This means making sure our team is well equipped mentally so we can look after each other in the best way possible,” she said.

“We are also super flexible when it comes to leave, we give subsidies for gym memberships, and we have regular pizza and beer get-togethers. I want to ensure we have a positive impact on our team. I want to be able to give our staff the absolute best step up in life they can possibly have.”


The Cairns Regional Jobs Committee (RJC) is proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government, with the aim of delivering solutions to local skills and workforce challenges collaborating to improve localised training pathways.

The committee brings together local business, government, community leaders, education and training providers and industry representatives to develop and deliver an Action Plan.

The Cairns RJC engages with regional employers, small businesses and other industry stakeholders to ensure training and employment solutions are aligned with local skills needs and economic activity.

The Cairns RJC was established in 2021, with the Cairns Chamber of Commerce delivering the project including the establishment and coordination of the RJC.

Businesses can utilise the RJC website to connect with industry, grow their workforce and see what grants are available via links. For further information, visit www.cairnsrjc.com.au

For media enquiries please contact:
Janelle Yarwood – Project Manager: Cairns Regional Jobs Committee (RJC)
P: 4031 1838
E: rjc@cairnschamber.com.au

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