It said that a trial is currently underway at a hub in Geeveston, where hopeful workers register their interest on a database, which employers can access to offer them work.

Fruit Growers Tasmania's Phil Pyke told 936 ABC Hobart that traditional work search methods were not always effective in agriculture. "It's wonderful to have everything online, but it's not the be all and end all. People don't always look for jobs online; jobs are filled by word of mouth predominantly across the agricultural sector, so it's really a matter of how can we do this a lot better in Tasmania?"

Instead of the usual labour hire path, people register in a particular area.

Pyke added, "The advantage of this is if you job hub then you can potentially move people around sectors of horticulture as required, including vineyards, and potentially give them up to ten months' work in a single regional area. It is almost like an old Commonwealth Employment Service model were you plug people into jobs and they are managed from that hub."

The ABC report highlighted that local industry has traditionally relied on a transient backpacker workforce but progress is being made with training local workers.

TasTafe has been running courses to give people basic orchard skills, but also to encourage longer-term jobs.

"We want people who want more than jobs in agriculture, we want people who will consider careers," Pyke said.

The first of three courses set up earlier this year has produced job-ready employees in Huonville.

"Those kids down there are looking at technological advances, using drones, they've been doing nursery work, they've been out on the farms doing work, so it's really worked quite well," Pyke said. Getting people work-ready is a major significant issue, we are only dipping our toe in the water at the moment."

"We've got to look at a structure that will effectively channel people in, even at the primary school level... because it is one of our key economic drivers."

The University of Tasmania is also involved in co-ordinating part-time work for students.

Pyke said that the season is running two weeks early in Tasmania in cherries and other small fruit.

Source: abc.net.au