Business bulletin: 29 June 2023

The next phase of the Global Worker Attraction Program has kicked off; with Melbourne, Adelaide, Ipswich, South Africa, Qatar, Dubai and Singapore to be targeted in a bid to recruit workers to the Territory.

The program includes a targeted marketing campaign promoting the Territory as a great place to work and live. It is also designed to expand the Territory’s workforce by developing a pipeline of people interested in living and working here via the Territory Government’s WorkerConnect platform.

The WorkerConnect platform has been developed specifically for Territory business to help them find the workers they need. It is a multipurpose online platform that manages a community of people interested in working and living in the Territory. There are over 1,800 workers now registered in the WorkerConnect portal.

The platform connects jobseekers outside the Northern Territory with local businesses by showcasing the latest jobs and career opportunities here in the Territory and allowing candidates to join our talent community.

Jobseekers can search for jobs across a number key industries and sign up for job alerts. Jobseekers can also join our talent community by uploading their CV’s to the portal for free.

The platform enables businesses to post their job vacancies for free and use filtering tools to search for workers that meet their skills, experience and work rights requirement.

The WorkerConnect platform will help businesses connect with the right workers and allow job seekers to also search for jobs across key industries.

The WorkerConnect platform is free to register. Both businesses and jobseekers need to register and become a member of the Territory WorkerConnect community to access the platform.

To become a member of the Northern Territory WorkerConnect community, go to Jobs in Australia’s Northern Territory.

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Territory businesses can now access funding to engage an auditor to carry out an independent assessment of the security and safety of its premises and its workers.

The Business Security and Safety Audit Program assists businesses to consider works it may need to take to protect it premises and workers from crime and anti-social behaviour by engaging a security auditor.

The registered business security and safety auditors will carry out a security audit report. This report will identify works that are effective measures designed to reduce the impacts of anti-social behaviour and deter crime.

Recommended works may include external roller doors, barriers or cashier screens, alarm systems, security lighting or CCTV cameras.

Businesses can use their security audit report in support of applications to have works carried out under other Northern Territory Government programs including Biz Secure and Alcohol Secure and Safety Grant.

A voucher to the value of:

• $3,000 (GST exclusive) is available for premises in the Darwin and Greater Darwin region, per premises, or
• $3,500 (GST exclusive) is available for premises located outside of Darwin and Greater Darwin region, per premises.

The Business Security and Safety Audit Program is part of a suite of initiatives announced by the Territory Government aimed at improving community safety and the safety of workers.

Suitably qualified Territory auditors that would like to participate in the program can contact the department at businessprogramsditt@nt.gov.au.

Territory businesses that would like to apply to have a security audit at their business premise can apply via GrantsNT.

The Business Security and Safety Audit Program will close on 30 June 2024.

For further information and to apply, go to the Northern Territory Government website.

The 2023 NT Training Award finalists have been announced, recognising the best and brightest across the Territory’s vocational education and training (VET) sector.

Now in its 68th year, the NT Training Awards celebrate the achievements of Territory VET sector and recognises the outstanding contributions made by our local trainees, apprentices, employers and training providers.

A total of 102 nominations were received across the Territory including Alice Springs, Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Numbulwar, Batchelor and Marrakai.

This year’s finalists represent a wide range of industries including health, conservation, electro technology, mechanical, mining, beauty services, cookery, fitness, early childhood, business and IT.

The VET sector is integral to a strong economy and growing our capabilities, it helps inspire individuals to undertake training courses and encourage businesses and organisation to further incorporate training into their business model.

The quality of applications reflect a strong and resilient VET sector in the Territory.

View the full list of finalists.

Shortlisting of finalists is now underway and winners will be announced at the NT Training Awards gala dinner on 2 September in Darwin.

Tickets for the gala dinner are now available for purchase.

The first annual report card for the Northern Territory (NT) Drive Tourism Strategy has reported a solid recovery of the drive tourism market, which has historically comprised of approximately 40% of all holiday visitors to the Territory.

Domestic drive tourists in the Top End region for year ending December 2022 exceeded pre-pandemic levels and the Centre region showed positive signs of recovery following the impacts of COVID-19 on holiday source markets.

The NT Drive Tourism Strategy, launched in 2021, was developed to accelerate drive tourism in the Territory.

The Northern Territory boasts a plethora of road trip options to suit both adventurous 4WD enthusiasts and motorists who prefer sealed roads. The Territory’s vast and unique landscape provides significant opportunities for self-drive holidays, and economic development opportunities for our regions.

Unlocking these opportunities requires the collaborative effort of stakeholders. A project implementation team led by Tourism NT has been guiding implementation of the strategy under 4 key pillars; marketing, infrastructure, stakeholder partnerships and technology.

In 2022, the Territory’s tourism industry recorded $3.12 billion in visitor expenditure. Further investment and promotion of self-drive road trips to the Territory is key to increasing spend and length of trip for holiday makers to the Territory.

To learn more about the Drive Tourism Strategy and progress to date on the strategy delivery, go to the Tourism NT website.

A guide for employers considering employing an international student is available for Territory businesses.

The Study NT guide for employers to recruit international student’s aims to assist employers understand the opportunities and benefits to their business offered by international students. Territory employers already know how to employ staff; this guide provides information about recruiting international students and graduate employees, or hosting them as interns. It includes tips on engaging and mentoring international students, work rights and employment law.

Over 4,000 international students from 70 different countries are enrolled to study in the Territory and from 1 July 2023, international students can now work up to 48 hours per fortnight. This cap ensures that student visa holders are able to focus on obtaining a quality Australian qualification, while remaining able to support themselves financially, gain valuable work experience and contribute to Australia’s workforce needs.

The international connections and perspectives students and graduates bring are beneficial to Territory business, especially businesses exporting around the world or looking to start exporting.

Local NT businesses are encouraged to consider employing an international student in meaningful work and can access a copy of the guide on The Territory website.

Hard copies of the guide are also available.