CME Chief Executive Reg Howard-Smith said: “There is no doubt we are entering a period where demand for skilled workers will be a fact of life for the WA resources sector.
“We therefore welcome any initiative that will assist the industry in securing the people needed to build and operate the new projects that will come on line over the next few years.”
CME recently released a major study which highlighted the anticipated growth in the WA resources sector, along with the people required to fill the new jobs that will be created.
“Future labour demand driven by the minerals and energy industry will continue to create labour shortages, with a potential need for an additional 26,000 employees by 2013,” Mr Howard-Smith said.
“There is in excess of $72 billion worth of resource sector projects either committed or planned for Western Australia, and as a result there continues to be strong demand for employees in the sector.”
The number of workers in the industry peaked in November 2008. While there were a number of job losses in the first half of 2009, there continues to be 3,000 more people employed in the WA resources sector now than at the start of 2008.
Despite the current financial crisis causing a weakening in general demand, the CME’s Growth Outlook Study suggests positive growth will occur to 2020. In particular, significant growth is projected to resume in the early part of the next decade which will boost employment opportunities in the sector.
