Regional Cities Victoria chair Shane Sali has raised concerns following the federal budget announcement, saying a state-wide shortage of planning and engineering staff poses a significant obstacle in resolving many regional challenges.
Cr Sali welcomed the Federal Government’s $300 weekly payment to support students on work placement when training for critical occupations, but said it must be extended to placements for regional Victoria’s future town planners.
He recognised shortages in key areas such as health care, aged care, education, food production, manufacturing and hospitality but emphasised the significant challenges Regional Victoria was facing as a result of a shortage of planners and engineers.
Demand for workers in regional areas is at an all-time high, and while all local governments are struggling to recruit and retain planners, regionally based councils face additional barriers.
RCV’s budget submission outlined challenges such as struggling to compete with metropolitan salaries and attracting staff from outside the area to not only the job but also the region.
The Victorian Skills Plan for 2023-24 outlines an expectation of over 75,000 new workers in regional Victoria by 2026.
A major challenge for businesses in regional Victoria is attracting and retaining skilled workers, worsened by a housing shortage that’s pushing up living costs.
“We just can’t meet the expectations of government commitments, like the Housing Statement, if we don’t have the professionals to do the work — such as planners, engineers, building surveyors and project managers,” Cr Sali said.
“If we’re going to tackle the housing crisis, and we’re going to manage the growth of our regional areas, we really need the Federal Government to recognise planners as critical occupations and incentivise training for these jobs too.”