Finding Assistance for Attraction and Retention of Skilled Workforce
Tracks
Concurrent Room 4
| Thursday, August 6, 2026 |
| 4:30 PM - 4:50 PM |
| Concurrent Room 4 |
Overview
Geoff Barbaro, Skills Insight
Details
1. Discovering a resource that can easily be used for business planning and workforce development to improve attraction and retention
2. Find success stories that may influence the way your business operates
3. Get the opportunity to pitch for improvements that will aid your future endeavours
Speaker
Geoff Barbaro
Executive Manager, Industry Skills Policy
Skills Insight
Finding assistance for Attraction and Retention of Skilled Workforce
Presentation Overview
A critical issue for Northern Australia is attraction and retention of workforce. This has been a key issue for the agribusiness, fibre, furnishing, food, animal and environment care industries who work with Skills Insight Jobs and Skills Council.
As well as continuing work to build the Ag Trade Apprenticeship, Skills Insight has released a free and open web resource to help small and medium businesses, especially in rural, regional and remote areas, strengthen their staff attraction and retention strategies. The aim is to produce a centralised, web-based collection of tools and resources that will highlight opportunities for workforce development and to continue to update and improve the site.
The webpage is structured around the lifecycle of an employee, mapping connections between an employer and employee that can improve attraction and retention outcomes. The resource includes a selection of case studies demonstrating successful workforce development strategies used by real businesses in regional, rural and remote Australia. The website brings together relevant tools, guidance and support within a practical framework, so that employers can easily assess and plan their own attraction and retention strategies.
There will be a short presentation to be followed by Q&A and feedback, to find ways to continue the development and ensure Northern Australian small and medium businesses are able to find the guidance they need.
As well as continuing work to build the Ag Trade Apprenticeship, Skills Insight has released a free and open web resource to help small and medium businesses, especially in rural, regional and remote areas, strengthen their staff attraction and retention strategies. The aim is to produce a centralised, web-based collection of tools and resources that will highlight opportunities for workforce development and to continue to update and improve the site.
The webpage is structured around the lifecycle of an employee, mapping connections between an employer and employee that can improve attraction and retention outcomes. The resource includes a selection of case studies demonstrating successful workforce development strategies used by real businesses in regional, rural and remote Australia. The website brings together relevant tools, guidance and support within a practical framework, so that employers can easily assess and plan their own attraction and retention strategies.
There will be a short presentation to be followed by Q&A and feedback, to find ways to continue the development and ensure Northern Australian small and medium businesses are able to find the guidance they need.
Biography
Geoff is Executive Manager, Industry Skills Policy at Skills Insight Jobs and Skills Council, working with stakeholders who share a passion for improving skills and training across the agribusiness, fibre, furnishing, food, animal and environment care industries. Skills Insight works with federal, state and territory governments, industry, learners, and education and training organisations, to address jobs and skills issues, including labour and skills shortages, workforce planning, occupational skills standards and access to skills development. Geoff has regularly attended Developing Northern Australia and a former Darwin resident. He has worked across multiple industries, including education and training, and agribusiness.
