Whilst at least four new LNG terminals are proposed for construction at Gladstone, Queensland, there is a reported shortage of skilled engineers. Experienced engineers are very much in demand and retention measures are now being exercised.

Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (APESMA) CEO Chris Walton recently reported that the average engineer’s salary has increased for the first time since 2008, with those in the oil and gas sector reporting salary increases of 5.9 per cent.

Mr Walton said that whilst the Federal Government’s recent $3 billion investment has provided timely assistance in addressing the skills crisis, more needs to be done to ensure Australian companies have access to the specialised engineering skills they require.

It is no wonder then that businesses are looking to the talent pool outside Australia, with the demand for engineering skills on a sharp incline, and people with specific LNG experience in particular in short supply.

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Bayside Personnel specialise in engineering and technical recruitment, and work closely with clients across the oil and gas industry to enhance recruitment effectiveness. “Often this means exploring options including national and international recruitment, transferable skills and training and development,” said Sean Blanche, General Manager at Bayside Personnel.

Bayside Personnel assists businesses in attracting and retaining pipeline professionals across Australia and the Middle East. As part of a Labour Agreement awarded by the Federal Government earlier this year, Bayside Personnel is one of only a few recruitment companies with the ability to sponsor overseas professionals for on-hired work in Australia on the Subclass 457 Visa Program.

In such a specialised field as engineering, national and international recruitment can ensure a better quality candidate pool. Bayside Personnel’s ability to attract expats and sponsor select overseas professionals on 457 Visas not only meets the flexible skill demands required for projects, but provides employers with the opportunity to mentor and up-skill Australian employees through on-the-job training.

Project teams are unlikely to remain in place for the duration of a project. The long-term success of such large-scale projects will therefore be underpinned by the attraction of the right skill set, building and developing capability, and carefully-mapped succession planning.