Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Bill Byrne, said the RJSA was developed in collaboration with Growcom, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF), AgForce and Canegrowers to provide practical solutions to the workforce issues that affect rural employers. “Our intention is to help rural enterprises meet their seasonal employment needs, help people to acquire the skills required to satisfy potential employers and get more young people in rural and regional Queensland into apprenticeships that enhance their chances of long-term employment.”

The alliance will lead the collection, analysis and publication of jobs and skills data from primary producers across Queensland and that information will be invaluable in filling skills gaps.

Growcom CEO, Pat Hannan, said Growcom had been very proactive in the workforce development area and was strongly supportive of the State Government’s initiatives in the establishment of the Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance (RJSA). “Our mutual objective is to provide practical solutions to the workforce issues that currently affect rural employers and, as we look to the future, to get more young people into the rural workforce. We look forward to working with the Minister and the Queensland Government to make a real difference in this area.”