Research Presentation

1. FOUR MAJOR INDUSTRIES
DRIVE THE TOWNSVILLE
ECONOMY
MANUFACTURING
TRANSPORT, POSTAL AND WAREHOUSING
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SERVICES
(PSTS)
• SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
• ENGINEERING
• COMPUTER SYSTEMS DESIGN
• ACCOUNTANCY
• ADVERTISING
• MARKET RESEARCH SPECIALISTS
• LAW
• VETERINARY SCIENCE
• MANAGEMENT AND OTHER CONSULTANTS
• PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
• ARCHITECTURE
Jobs Queensland, 2020

2. TOWNSVILLE PSTS INDUSTRY PROFILE
Small Business (<20 Staff) PSTS Region’s Economy Contribution
Skilled Gen Z Employees
Total Townsville Workforce =
109,413
Industry Projected Growth Education Attainment Levels
Jobs Queensland, 2020; National Careers Institute, 2022; REMPLAN, 2022
Bachelor’s degree or higher

3. PROBLEMS
LABOUR SHORTAGE
SMEs within the PSTS industry are
challenged in attracting and retaining
Gen Z employees.
ATTRACTION
Lower remuneration, Gen Z’s perception that
SMEs cannot provide career progression
opportunities, work-life balance and flexible work
arrangements
RETENTION
High costs associated with training and
onboarding new employees, and offering
ongoing competitive remuneration
Narayanan, Rajithakumar & Menon, 2019; Francis, 2022; White, 2023

4. ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA
Very ambiguous criteria. Not currently
suitable for PSTS industry. Only
relevant for a small portion of Gen Z.
FINANCIAL
INCENTIVES
PROBLEMS
Big Plans for Small Business Strategy 2021 –
2023
Funding from the Big Plans for
Small Business Strategy
committed $30m in funding over 2
years to increase skills and
capacity.
Department of Employment, Small Business, and Training, 2021

5. SOLUTIONS
ADDRESS POLICY
Change the policy to reflect a range of incentives that
aligns with attracting and retaining Gen Z
TARGET AUDIENCE
Skilled Gen Z workforce (18-25 years old)
Small businesses (<20 staff)
PRIORITY
Prioritise Regional SMEs to access grants and subsidies
to improve Gen Z workforce retention.
EASY TO USE
A cost-effective process that automatically identifies small
businesses that meet the eligibility criteria to receive grants and
subsidies.
Jobs Queensland, 2020; REMPLAN, 2022

6. REFERENCE LIST
• Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023, May). Labour Force, Australia. ABS.
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release
• Department of Business. (2023). Professional, scientific, and technical services industry. Retrieved from
https://business.gov.au/planning/industry-information/professional-scientific-and-technical-services-industry
• Department of Employment, Small Business, and Training. (2023a). The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Retrieved from https://desbt.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/13144/skill-up-funding-guidelines.pdf
• Department of Employment, Small Business, and Training. (2023b). Big Plans for Small Business Strategy 2021-23.
Retrieved from https://desbt.qld.gov.au/small-business/strategic-documents/small-business-strategy
• Department of Employment, Small Business, and Training. (2023c). Townsville Workforce Development Plan.
Retrieved from https://jobsqueensland.qld.gov.au/projects/townsville-workforce/
• Francis, A. (2022). Gen Z: The workers who want it all. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220613-
gen-z-the-workers-who-want-it-all
• Narayanan, A., Rajithakumar, S., & Menon, M. (2019). Talent Management and Employee Retention: An Integrative
Research Framework. Human Resource Development Review, 18(2), 228–247.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484318812159
• REMPLAN. (2023). Townsville Population-Age. Retrieved from
https://app.remplan.com.au/townsvillenorthqueensland/community/population/age?state=NXBATe!oXVwTjJ8eT5Y5kyh
yorl2hkCquJaVFXtOuVu9CMs5dUkYE
• White, S. (2023, March 9). Give gen Z workers room and watch them grow. The Sydney Morning Herald.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/give-gen-z-workers-room-and-watch-them-grow-20230307-p5cq6a.html