The Illawarra Business Chamber hosted a community discussion on refugee resettlement and employment in the Illawarra.  

Adam Zarth, executive director of the chamber said the forum was in response to workforce shortages affecting key sectors of the region. 

Special guest was Professor Peter Shergold, NSW Coordinator-General for Refugee Resettlement, who explained the considerations and progress of the government’s program.

The program, which Prof Shergold said has been operating in the Illawarra for about a year, has already led to 68 people throughout the region securing employment, and a thousand people overall in NSW. 

Prof Shergold said the refugee employment support program was already working effectively in Western Sydney.

However, he said they wished to create greater awareness of the program in the Illawarra, and expand its reach to help get more refugees into employment. 

“I want to talk to employers, not just about whether they have jobs, but also how they can help in terms of internships, work experience and mentoring,” he said.

Prof Shergold said a priority was ensuring the refugees involved in the program had the appropriate level of English language skills for the jobs they wanted. 

“For example, the big burst of Iraqi and Syrian refugees over the past few years, to a very large extent they’re quite highly educated (and have) professional and business qualifications,” he said.

“They often don’t speak English, but they speak at least two languages, so they find it easier to learn. 

“So there’s the language barrier, and also getting overseas skills, qualifications and experience recognised, which we help with.”

Prof Shergold said the program also assisted in helping participants gain further Australian-based qualifications, as well as “helping them to compete, helping them put together their reference, helping them to get some experience in going for an interview”. 

“Then connect them, when they’ve got the right skills, to the right employer to get employment,” he said. “It’s about pathways.”

Karen Bevan from Settlement Services International discussed how her organisation is improving the long-term skilled employment opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers.

Ms Bevan said it was crucial to create the kind of community where refugees can contribute and be supported. 

“It’s about matching people with opportunity, getting people ready in a way that’s resilient so that they can actually build their own capability,” she said.

“In the Illawarra, the challenge can be about managing expectations of employers of refugees… And managing expectations around the community around what it might take to bring refugees into employment in a way that’s sustainable. So that way, they stay here, they want to invest in the Illawarra economy, be part of the community.”

Mr Zarth said many of the chamber’s members across various sectors had relayed concerns regarding workforce shortages, and the difficulties they sometimes faced in retaining enough staff to keep their businesses operating. 

“We see refugees as part of a mix of different measures that could be looked at to help grow the work age population of the Illawarra,” he said.

“The Illawarra has always benefited from migration coming and helping drive our key sectors. And why should that ever change?”

He said key sectors that could be boosted by initiatives such as the refugee employment support program included construction, aged care, hospitality, retail and disability services. 

“That’s where the workforce demand is,” he said. 

The forum also heard from the heads of community organisations delivering services and support to refugees.

There was also a panel discussion to consider what needs to be done throughout the Illawarra to improve the experience of refugees and to encourage employers.

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