Ballarat businesses tap into migrant community to improve workforce shortage

Regional community leaders say the answer to the nation's workforce shortage is already available — employers just aren't looking in the right places. Key points: Two Ballarat programs are helping employers change their hiring approaches Ballarat Regional Tourism is partnering with Ballarat Regional Multicultural Centre to employ people from the migrant community More than 7 per cent of City of Ballarat residents speak a language other than English at home Kennedy Wainaina was once a migrant from Kenya looking for work. Partnerships with local service GROW and Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Service has led to the employment of 67 members of the migrant community, with a 95 per cent retention rate. The GROW Bendigo program partnered with Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services to help members of the migrant community into work. Ballarat Regional Tourism chief executive Sarah Myers said the organisation received state government funding to run the program for four months but she hoped it would continue.