Skill Shortages | FFTITC 2021

Skill Shortages vs Labour Shortages - an explanation

What is a skill shortage?

In our industries, a skill shortage means there aren’t enough workers with the right training or qualifications to meet demand. For example:

Forestry and timber: A shortage of qualified machine operators, saw doctors, and mill supervisors.
Agriculture and fibre: Not enough agronomists, livestock specialists, or machinery technicians.
In the Manufactured Textiles & Fashion sectors, there is high demand for skilled sewing machinists, which play a critical role in many facets of the textile and clothing industries.

These shortages often arise because training pipelines are too small, young people are unaware of industry career paths, or new technologies (like precision agriculture or advanced timber processing) require skills the current workforce hasn’t yet developed.

What is a labour shortage?

A labour shortage is different. It’s about the number of people available to do the work, regardless of their skill level. In food, fibre, and timber, this is often seen in:

Seasonal agriculture – not enough workers for harvests, shearing, or horticulture picking.
Regional and remote operations – businesses can’t attract enough staff willing to live and work in these areas.
Processing and production – difficulty filling entry-level or lower-paid jobs, even when training isn’t required.

Why do governments pay attention?

Governments monitor these shortages closely because they affect the economy, regional development, and community wellbeing.

Economic productivity – Shortages delay projects, reduce yields, and disrupt supply chains across WA. For example, labour shortages at harvest time can mean crops left unpicked.
Food security – A lack of skilled and unskilled workers affects the production and processing of essential foods and fibres.
Industry competitiveness – If WA businesses can’t secure workers, investors may look elsewhere, and international competitors can gain an edge.
Regional sustainability – Local towns rely on strong agricultural, forestry, and food processing industries. Workforce gaps put regional communities at risk.

Government responses in WA

To address these issues, government policies often focus on:

Targeted training and apprenticeships – aligning TAFE and training programs with industry skill needs.
Incentives for regional work – encouraging people to take up jobs outside metropolitan Perth.
Migration pathways – fast-tracking skilled migration for critical occupations like meat processing workers or machinery operators.
Workforce participation programs – attracting women, youth, and underemployed groups into the food, fibre, and timber workforce.

For more information:

The WA State Priority Occupation List (SPOL) – occupations “rated according to their priority status” for WA.
The national Occupation Shortage List (OSL) from Jobs & Skills Australia.