Skilled workers needed in Australia

By Cris Evert Lato
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 13:35:00 12/16/2008

Cebu City, Philippines - Despite the expected layoff of overseas contract workers brought about by the global economic crisis, there are still work opportunities for Filipinos abroad.

One country with job opportunities for Filipinos is Australia.

Queensland, a province of Australia, needs at least 120,000 skilled laborers by 2010 to fill up the jobs left by the he country's aging population, said Linda Brown, institute director of the Metropolitan South Institute of Technical and Further Education.

“Our community is getting older. We have an aging population. In 2015, there will be more people over 50 (years old) than those under 25 years old,” she told reporters in a recent press conference held at the Laguna Garden cafe.

Brown was among the members of the Queensland, Australia Vocational Education and Training (VET) delegation, who visited Cebu last month to orient government and academe representatives about work and career opportunities available in Australia.

VET export office director Katherine Marnane said various jobs will be available as the Queensland economy has $170 billion worth of investments over the next 18 years.

These projects include transport and freighting, information and communication technology, and industry development.

Marnane also noted workers are needed in the sectors of tourism and hospitality, business, accounting, hairdressing, and health and community services.

To get the necessary workforce, the VET export office has built partnerships with Australia-based education provider and agency, Charlton Brown.

Charlton Brown, in turn, partnered with Integrated Learning (IL) Institute Philippines to provide the necessary training to Filipinos, who are interested to pursue a career in Australia, and later on, reside permanently in the country.

IL Institute president Jerry Perez de Tagle said Filipino students can enroll in three-month long training courses such as elderly care and community services in the Philippines.

“While they are studying, our partner, Charlton Brown, will help process their visa requirements. It will also help place students in jobs once they arrive in Australia,” said de Tagle.

“They will come in with a student visa. In Australia, Filipinos can still continue their studies for two years while earning income from working,” he added.

After two years study, de Tagle said a student will be given a Diploma in Community Service and will be given a professional work visa and can work for another 18 months.

“By then, you will then be eligible for permanent residency. This process could even be done within the fastest period of three and a half years.”

Brown of Metropolitan South TAFE said Australia has a stable economy which shelters them from the effects of the financial crisis.

She noted the proximity of Australia and the Philippines is a factor that should encourage Filipinos to work in Australia aside from the Filipinos fluency in the English language.