Program engineers job opportunities

THE State Government has urged councils including Greater Dandenong to employ overseas-qualified engineers to help bridge difficulties in finding skilled workers.
Employment Minister Jacinta Allan last week urged metropolitan councils to consider the option after she revealed 15 overseas-qualified engineers would be circulated to local governments in regional Victoria this month.
“This program will provide 15 overseas-qualified engineers with 15 weeks paid work experience in local governments in regional Victoria,” Ms Allan said. She said local government was experiencing a shortage in skilled engineers.
“Despite the shortage there are several hundred overseas-qualified engineers living in Victoria who are ready to work right now,” Ms Allan said. “However, they can face difficulty finding employment because they might have trouble navigating the Australian job market, or sometimes local employers don’t understand their qualifications.”
Ms Allan said this was not the first time the Government had backed overseas-qualified engineers to fill a skills shortage gap.
“A pilot program last year resulted in all participants gaining employment, which is an excellent outcome and demonstrates the program’s success,” she said. “They are now working on local engineering projects to benefit local communities, in areas such as planning, drainage and roads. This program gives overseas-qualified engineers a great opportunity to get local experience and make local contacts that result in full-time work.”
Victorian Local Governance Association chief executive Andrew Rowe threw his support behind the project.
“This program is an important means for local government to deliver engineering projects to their local communities, while working with skilled migrants to develop their understanding of Australian workplace culture and provide them with much needed local work experience,” he said.