The State Government has recieved 500 expressions of interest from overseas candidates from a recruitment drive for its Department of Environment and Conservation.
The State Government has recieved 500 expressions of interest from overseas candidates from a recruitment drive for its Department of Environment and Conservation.
The full text of an announcement from Environment Minister David Templeman is pasted below
A State Government campaign to attract people from overseas to work in the conservation of the Western Australia's biodiversity and protection of its environment is showing signs of success, with about 500 international expressions of interest.
Environment Minister David Templeman said the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) recruitment campaign began three months ago in a bid to counteract the high demand for people with suitable qualifications.
"WA is booming, with the nation's lowest unemployment rate of about three per cent, generating a severe skills shortage across many fields throughout the State," Mr Templeman said.
"DEC has taken a proactive approach to combat this and ensure the long-term delivery of services such as protection of air and water quality, industrial licensing and waste management, as well as biodiversity conservation and the management of marine and terrestrial conservation reserves and parks."
The Minister said DEC had targeted South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom and had advertised in overseas print and online media inviting people to register as potential applicants for DEC positions.
"This was a two-step process, involving registration on the WA Government Job Board and the DEC's Overseas Recruitment Register on the department's NatureBase website," he said.
"This included submission by potential applicants of a resume, which can then be accessed by DEC managers seeking to fill vacant jobs or pools, so that registered overseas people can be contacted and invited to apply.
"Applicants can also register their interest and expertise in all of areas of employment in DEC, such as corporate services.
"The department has also produced a booklet detailing information on living in WA and working for DEC, which can be accessed on NatureBase."
Mr Templeman said the booklet covered information such as the lifestyle, climate, natural beauty, education, housing, health care and quality of life in WA.
"It also markets DEC and what the department has to offer from the variety of jobs available in the organisation, attractive salary packaging, flexible working arrangements, excellent career development programs, health and lifestyle programs," he said.
Mr Templeman said registrations for the DEC register closed on November 18, with 500 expressions of interest already received.
A number of applications from registered overseas people had already been submitted for individual DEC positions.
A DEC recruitment team had also visited several cities in South Africa to meet potential applicants.
DEC was willing to sponsor suitable overseas applicants who were not currently eligible to work in Australia, where no suitable applicants with Australian residency were available to fill DEC roles.
