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General News

15 January, 2021

Businesses struggle to fill jobs

There is an abundance of workers available across the Far North and Tablelands however some businesses have been struggling to fill positions for over four months.

By Rhys Thomas

Owner of 4x4 FNQ Clinton Stroud has been struggling to fill a motor mechanic position at his business despite their being an abundance of worker
Owner of 4x4 FNQ Clinton Stroud has been struggling to fill a motor mechanic position at his business despite their being an abundance of worker

There is an abundance of workers available across the Far North and Tablelands however some businesses have been struggling to fill positions for over four months.

While jobs such as fruit picking and admin positions are filled quite quickly businesses that require workers with certain experience or training are being left out in the cold.

QITE General Manager Jillian Trout said that despite the number of businesses offering jobs there are still more workers around than jobs.

“We definitely have more people than we have jobs,” - QITE General Manager Jillian Trout

“Some of the jobs aren’t easily filled particularly if they are machinery operators or need certain licenses, there is definitely an influx of those kinds of jobs happening.

“It’s the higher skilled jobs that aren’t getting filled as quickly.”

This is a reality that owner of 4x4 FNQ Clinton Stroud has come to realize as he has been advertising a job position since before Christmas.

Mr Stroud has been running an ad for a motor mechanic and has only had one local applicant apply.

“The response has been absolutely poor,” - 4X4 FNQ owner Clinton Stroud

“I’ve only had one person apply and I’ve advertised right across Queensland.

“The last time I advertised there wasn’t much interest locally there was a heap of applications via Seek last time, this time there hasn’t been there has only been three.

“The applicant that applied isn’t a fully trained motor mechanic so he applied on the off chance that he could fit the bill.”

John Arcidiacono owner of Aquafix has been advertising a job for a swimming pool technician since November 2020 and has had no applications despite training being provided.

“People just need general knowledge it’s not that hard,” he said.

“I’ve gone through the unemployment agencies but I have been disappointed with the quality of workers.

“People don’t want to work they only put their name down to fill their quota.” - Aquafix owner John Arcidiacono

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