6 Days To Go

Yesterday I posted a blog urging companies to put together submissions to convince the Department of Employment that their proposal to remove Recruitment Consultant from the Skilled Occupation List for 457 visas, is in fact…a poor one.

The day before, I canvassed the big, listed businesses to ask for their involvement, as their submissions (in terms of potential impact on the economy) will undoubtedly be key to our success. I have spoken with Shortlist and asked for their help in spreading the message, which is that everyone without question needs to get involved with this movement. On Tuesday, I was up till midnight, individually emailing all my clients with a call to action.

What has come out of this?

• Many companies are all over this and have already put in their submissions
• Most companies are now working hard on their submissions; putting together key information, stats and case studies, so that the message is a strong one
• Some companies were not all over this, but I now have their assurance that they will be getting involved
• Many business owners are keen to hear what else is happening in the market and were extremely relieved to hear that other agencies are getting involved
• Kelly Lloyd from Aurec Immigration informs me that the National Associations are now on board. The RCSA are now in talks with Immigration and the Department of Employment. ITCRA has also made some steps forward in the last two days

All in all, I am extremely heartened by the response. It seems we are coming together as an industry. I do however, believe that we can do more and that everyone can be involved in some way or another. I have put together a list covering all the ways you can get involved.

What can still be done?

• If you are a business owner/CEO/Group HR Manager – is your business ready or close with a submission? For some hints on what you need to cover see my blog from yesterday
• If you are an employee at a recruitment agency, how good is the internal communication at your firm? Do you know for sure that your business is putting in a submission?  Don’t presume anything – ask the question
• Are you a good candidate to put in a personal submission? Many organisations that I have spoken to are putting in a business submission, as well as, urging selected personnel to put in a personal submission for change.  For example; my business submission will talk about 13 years of struggling to secure Australian talent for the industry, and my personal submission will talk about my 18-year recruitment career in Australia, the number of Australian graduates that I have trained and the revenue that my business has contributed to the economy over the past 13 years.  All of this, off the back of my initial 457 visa
• Have you or your business completed the survey for APSCO, helping them to build a picture for their submission on the nature of skills and qualifications that are needed by recruitment talent so that they can demonstrate to the Govt that our roles require “qualified candidates” as we have no universally recognised recruitment qualification. Click here to begin the survey

6 days to go and still lots we can be doing.