Rite of Passage - Hospitality Workforce Roundtable

Following industry feedback on the recent changes to Working Holiday Maker Visas, Townsville Chamber convened a roundtable discussion with stakeholders to brainstorm ideas on how to ease the workforce burden for our hospitality members.

Some awesome ideas were uncovered and challenges raised including how to make the hospitality industry a viable career option for young people. For many of us around the table, hospitality was our first job and a genuine right of passage. It was where we learned how to work hard, deal with people, be part of a team and build confidence, all while earning a wage and having a great time. Those experiences shaped not only our careers, but also the people we became.

With some key actions gained from the meeting including the possibility of a hospitality focussed event where we hear from organisations which could assist our members find the staff they need from alternative sources including focussing on how to encourage more locals to respond to job adverts.

These are the sorts of collaborative conversations which will result in positive change for our members, and we are grateful to everyone who took part. Watch this space for an update on this topic soon!