Late last week, BusVic hosted its annual All Aboard seminar to break down barriers and provide a unique insight into ways to combat worker shortages
As the bus and coach industry works to recruit more people into the sector, the Bus Association of Victoria (BusVic) centred its All Aboard seminar in Melbourne on driving inclusion.
Held at Melbourne’s RACV Centre on Friday, BusVic welcomed speakers from numerous bodies to discuss how operators both regional and metro can encourage more workers to join their business and flourish.
The one day event started with an introduction from Julia Evans, who says the industry must commit to being understanding and nurturing of the new talent coming through.
The seminar then heard from Abigal Peak from Social Traders and Kinaway chamber of commerce Victoria’s Kimberley Keen about how to best recruit Indigenous Australians into businesses.
Peak discussed the ability for companies to engage in social enterprise and procurement, while Kinaway’s Keen enlightened the audience about the importance of supporting Indigenous Australian companies.
While doing so, Keen also discussed the challenges and learnings companies should take on board when it comes to employing Indigenous people.
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Keen says Kinaway is looking to expand its presence in the bus and coach industry relating to both Kinaway’s certification of Indigenous companies and providing a comprehensive list of Indigenous businesses for operators to use and buy from.
In the second session before lunch, Crown Coaches’s Jerome Haoust discussed the ways that operators can build trust with youth at risk and make them excellent employees.
As a way of alleviating skilled worker shortages, Haoust, alongside Tanya Hendry and Callista Keenan from Whitelion Youth, says taking time to understand the plight young adults at risk face can change their lives.
“Young people at risk are really all around us and we don’t notice it,” Haoust says.
The lunch heard from keynote speaker Rhiannon Tracey, as well as founder and CEO of Woman CAN Australia Mikaela Stafrace and general manager for housing for the YWCA Australia Charlotte Dillon.