Wimmera Canola Field

Opportunities for drought affected farmers to access seasonal work in Victoria

Published 30 August 2019

As the busy harvest season arrives for another year employers look for casual workers to help get through these times. With high demand for experienced workers there may be opportunities available for workers effected by the drought conditions in the north to assist Victorian based farmers.

Wimmera Based Agronomist Matthew Sparke from Sparke Agricultural and Associates approached Skillinvest to discuss ways to assist both regional farmers find workers while also helping the struggling communities up in New South Wales and Queensland.

“After seeing some striking images of the conditions up north and having several of my clients asking if I know of anyone looking for work, I started to explore the merits of encouraging workers to travel down to Victoria to gain some work and new experiences during the harvest period” said Matthew.

Interest within Matthew’s network has shown a strong demand for seasonal workers and after discussions with Skillinvest a targeted campaign will commence over the next few weeks involving employers and potential employees.

Skillinvest labour Hire consultant Daniel Brandon will be taking expressions of interest from employers to fill their vacancies using Labour Hire personnel sourced from drought affected areas. A short survey has been developed for employers to identify their requirements and assist with the expression of interest stage.

Skillinvest provide licensed personnel for short or long-term assignments and projects under Labour Hire (on-hire) employment arrangements. Using Labour Hire to fill your workforce needs will save you valuable time, money and resources. All the hard work is done for you while your productivity is maintained. Skillinvest take care of all administration, workplace induction and safety checks, payment of wages, taxation and superannuation.

Daniel noted that “With Matthew’s passion for helping farmers and Skillinvest’s expertise in sourcing and supplying Labour Hire personnel we can work together to find a solution that not only benefits our regional farmers but also provides an opportunity for those struggling in the north”.

“All we ask is for interested employers to fill out the following survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/seasonalworkEOI2019 to assist with determining your needs and we will then work to source suitable employees for your business” explained Daniel.

Once the demand and needs are determined Skillinvest will commence recruitment across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland with the aim of providing effective solutions to all involved.