The Australian Government conducted an Audit of Scientific, Engineering and Technology (SET) Skills that was released in July 2006. The audit found that enrolment by Australian students in SET courses was steadily declining, and that other countries were now taking the initiative and starting to implement strategies to attract overseas SET skills and retain existing talent.

Although the government is implementing strategies – such as education subsidies – to combat declines, some pipeline organisations are also actively appealing to engineers by creating an attractive pipeline career path for their graduates.

Bayside Personnel has relocated some of its Mining, Oil & Gas Recruitment Consultants to Queensland to meet the growing demand in this region. “We are also relocating pipeline engineers interstate to Queensland and Western Australia in particular, as well as from overseas to meet the demand of Australian organisations,” says Sean Blanche, Manager (Mining, Oil & Gas Recruitment).

According to Sean, further efforts by the pipeline industry to attract and train young engineers are necessary to not only ensure a sustainable future, but minimise project costs.

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Bayside Personnel has begun working with universities to promote the industry and its career opportunities to undergraduates.

Although this program is still relatively new, Sean says that through targeted seminars and campus based workshops, many capable candidates have been placed within reputable organisations with positive results.

Bayside Personnel has found that organisational concerns about recruiting graduates include the cost and resources involved in developing graduate training, short term productivity and retention of graduates. However, effective engagement and retention of graduates can actually result in long term gains for organisations.