Cessnock City Council’s Economic Development team and Training NSW was pleased with the success of their recent Recruitment and Industry Advice workshop.

Held on 24 March, the business event featured four recruitment and industry experts including:

• Karla Notman, Federal Employment Facilitator for the Hunter Region
• Phillipa Hibbert, Director, Delivery and Employer Engagement
• Sue-Ellen Evans NSW Skills Broker Hunter Region
• Jeffrey Cooke, Regional Manager Hunter & North Coast Apprenticeship Support Australia

The event attracted 59 business attendees, who took advantage of the free knowledge and networking opportunity.

The emphasis on this event was to provide businesses with practical information and ideas for recruitment of staff and to foster networking opportunities between industry specialists and small business people.

Cessnock City have a thriving small business network and Cessnock City Council’s Economic Development Unit work hard to attract these opportunities to ensure the local businesses are well support.

During the workshop, industry experts provided a fascinating insight into current changing employment trends and an employment snapshot and outlined practical strategies that could be incorporated in to small businesses to assist with recruitment and screening, employment incentives and ongoing support.

Sue Ellen-Evans shared with the room how her role works with employers to capture key information and identify skills required to fill vacant roles.

While Jeffery Cooke provided important information related to Traineeships and Apprenticeships and broke down the complications on employing a Trainee or an Apprentice and spoke in depth about the support that is offered that employers may not have known about.

Cessnock City Council will continue to provide up to date resources and relevant opportunities for the business community through the Advance Greater Cessnock website.

Keep an eye out on your emails for future workshop and event opportunities.