Research conducted by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) shows that nearly two-thirds of large companies are considering hiring from overseas in order mitigate the effects of the growing skills shortage.

 

Construction and engineering represent the worst areas affected by the labour shortage as well as sales, marketing and manufacturing/trades.

 

The worst effected areas are the professional and technical fields, with nurses, cooks and butchers also in short supply according to the Federal Government.

 

The reports of the growing skills shortages have been savaged by NSW state secretary Malcolm Tulloch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, calling the warnings a tactic by industry to achieve lower pay and condition requirements.

 

“It's just a ruse to bring in foreign workers on cheaper rates and drive the wages and conditions down,''  Mr Tulloch said.

 

The reports of skilled labour shortages comes as reports show that Western Australia and Queensland will need a combined 300,000 skilled workers to facilitate growth.

 

Large numbers of engineers and construction workers are being employed by large mining and construction companies well before needed in an attempt to stave off the effects of the shortages.