Category: National Safe Work Month

The Skilled Trade Shortage: What’s Driving Demand in 2026

Posted on by Tara Brown

 

Across Australia, the skilled trade shortage has moved from a looming concern to a critical operational challenge. In 2026, demand for qualified tradespeople continues to outpace supply, placinng pressure on manufacturing, FMCG, transport and logistics, warehousing and waste management operations nationwide.

This shortage is not the result of a single issue. It reflects a combination of ageing workforces, infrastructure investment, evolving compliance requirements and shifting workforce expectations. In response, employers are increasingly relying on workplace learning, flexible learning, online courses and targeted upskilling to maintain productivity and manage risk.

Labourpower works closely with national clients and sees this demand intensifying across regions, particularly for skilled roles that are essential to operational continuity.

 

Why Skilled Trades Are in Short Supply

Skilled trades form the backbone of Australia’s industrial economy. Electricians, fitters, mechanics, maintenance technicians and licensed operators play a critical role in keeping facilities, fleets and infrastructure running.

However, several factors have contributed to ongoing shortages:

  1. A large portion of the skilled workforce is approaching retirement
  2. Apprenticeship completion rates have not kept pace with demand
  3. Competition for skilled labour has intensified across industries
  4. Project-based work and infrastructure investment are absorbing talent

As demand increases, employers are finding it more difficult to secure experienced tradespeople at short notice, particularly across multi-site operations.

 

Manufacturing and Infrastructure Investment Fuel Demand

One of the strongest drivers of skilled trade demand in 2026 is continued investment in manufacturing capability, infrastructure projects and supply chain resilience.

Manufacturing facilities are upgrading equipment, automating processes and expanding capacity. These changes require skilled trades to install, maintain and operate complex systems. At the same time, infrastructure projects are drawing from the same talent pool, increasing competition for labour.

This demand places pressure on employers who rely on skilled trades to meet production targets, safety requirements and maintenance schedules.

 

Compliance and Safety Expectations Are Rising

Skilled trades are subject to increasingly stringent compliance and safety requirements. Licensing, certifications and site-specific credentials are now essential for many roles.

According to Safe Work Australia, inadequate training and competency gaps continue to contribute to workplace incidents. As a result, employers are strengthening their expectations around documented skills and ongoing competency development.

In this environment, experience alone is no longer sufficient. Employers require evidence of capability, and workers must maintain relevant credentials to remain employable.

 

The Role of Workplace Learning in Closing Skills Gaps

With fewer experienced trades available, employers are focusing on developing capability internally. Workplace learning allows organisations to build skills while maintaining productivity.

Rather than relying solely on external recruitment, employers are using structured learning pathways to:

  1. Develop semi-skilled workers into trade-adjacent roles
  2. Support progression within existing teams
  3. Reduce reliance on a limited external talent pool

Workplace learning embedded into daily operations allows skills to be built progressively, supported by supervision and real-world application.

Labourpower supports clients by aligning workforce supply with learning strategies that strengthen capability while meeting Australian standards.

 

Flexible Learning and Online Courses for Skilled Workforces

Traditional classroom training often does not suit skilled trade environments. Shift work, remote sites and production demands require more adaptable learning models.

Flexible learning and online courses enable workers to complete training around operational requirements. This approach allows employers to upskill teams without removing them from critical roles for extended periods.

For skilled trades, flexible learning supports:

  1. Faster onboarding into site-specific requirements
  2. Ongoing compliance with licensing and safety expectations
  3. Continuous skill development as technology evolves

In 2026, learning flexibility is essential to maintaining a skilled workforce.

 

Upskilling as a Workforce Stability Strategy

Upskilling plays a key role in stabilising skilled workforces. When skilled workers feel supported in maintaining and expanding their capability, they are more likely to stay engaged and committed.

Upskilling contributes to:

  1. Improved retention of experienced workers
  2. Safer work practices
  3. Stronger leadership and supervision capability
  4. Reduced downtime caused by skills shortages

For employers, investing in upskilling reduces risk and builds resilience across operations.

 

Why Recruitment Alone Cannot Solve the Trade Shortage

In 2026, the skilled trade shortage cannot be solved through recruitment alone. The limited supply of experienced trades means employers must adopt broader workforce strategies.

National clients are increasingly seeking recruitment partners who:

  1. Understand trade-specific labour markets
  2. Support onboarding and compliance requirements
  3. Provide access to learning and upskilling pathways
  4. Offer scalable workforce solutions across sites

Labourpower positions itself as a workforce partner that understands the full lifecycle of skilled trade supply, from attraction and placement through to capability development.

 

Australian Standards and Responsible Workforce Development

All workforce development initiatives must align with Australian legislation and regulatory frameworks. Employers have obligations under Work Health and Safety legislation to ensure workers are trained, competent and supervised.

Training and learning solutions must also align with nationally recognised standards where applicable. Authoritative guidance is available through:

  1. Safe Work Australia
  2. Fair Work Australia
  3. Australian Skills Quality Authority

Labourpower aligns its workforce and learning practices with these frameworks, supporting compliance and responsible workforce development.

 

What Forward-Thinking Employers Are Doing in 2026

Organisations managing skilled trade shortages effectively are:

  1. Investing in internal capability development
  2. Using flexible learning to maintain skills at scale
  3. Partnering with recruitment providers who understand trade supply challenges
  4. Treating upskilling as a long-term workforce strategy

These employers recognise that skilled labour is not just sourced. It is built.

 

Partner With Labourpower to Navigate the Skilled Trade Shortage

The skilled trade shortage is expected to continue in 2026 and beyond. Manufacturing, logistics and industrial operations must adapt to remain competitive and compliant.

Labourpower supports national clients with workforce solutions that combine skilled labour supply, workplace learning, flexible learning, online courses and targeted upskilling. This integrated approach helps businesses manage demand, reduce risk and build sustainable capability.

If your organisation is facing skilled trade shortages or planning for future demand, speak with Labourpower about how we can support your workforce strategy.

FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION: IDENTIFYING HAZARDS THAT PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE

Posted on by Laurie Innerst

Every safe workplace starts with awareness. The moment we recognise and act on hazards, we protect not only compliance and productivity but, more importantly, our people.

Safe Work Australia highlights that identifying hazards is the first step in risk management. Under the model WHS Act, employers (PCBUs) have a duty to spot and address hazards in every workplace environment. This responsibility isn’t just a legal box to tick, it’s about building a culture where workers go home safe – every single day.

When employers identify hazards early, they can:

  • Prevent injury and illness before they occur.
  • Support a healthier, more confident workforce.
  • Build trust with employees by showing that safety is a priority.
  • Maintain compliance with WHS laws and reduce costly downtime.

At Labourpower, we believe safety goes 24/7. That means being proactive in hazard identification and ensuring that every person we place is prepared for safe and effective work from day one.

 

Why Identifying Hazards Matters

 

Hazards aren’t always obvious. They may be physical (such as slippery floors or faulty equipment), ergonomic (poor manual handling practices), or even psychosocial (including fatigue, bullying and stress). Employers who make hazard identification a daily habit build stronger safety cultures and more resilient teams.

Safe Work Australia provides clear guidance:

  • Hazards must be identified before work begins, whenever changes occur, and as part of regular reviews.
  • Workers must be consulted, as they often notice risks firsthand.
  • Employers must take steps to eliminate risks where possible, or minimise them as far as reasonably practicable.

Reference: Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks

 

Practical Ways Employers Can Identify Hazards

 

  1. Workplace inspections – Walk through regularly, looking beyond the obvious.
  2. Engage your team – Toolbox talks, feedback loops, and near-miss reporting give real insight.
  3. Use hazard checklists – Cover physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial hazards.
  4. Review data – Past incidents and near misses are a goldmine of lessons.
  5. Monitor change – New equipment, materials, or processes = new hazards to identify.

 

Labourpower’s Commitment

 

When you partner with Labourpower, you don’t just get skilled staff; you get people who have already been inducted in safety awareness and assessed for industry-specific risks. Our teams arrive trained, reliable, and ready to contribute to safe, productive operations.

We know that for employers, identifying hazards is about more than compliance. It’s about protecting lives, maintaining trust, and ensuring that every worker feels supported and valued. And for us, it’s personal: every placement is a person with a family to go home to.

This Safe Work Month, take the lead in protecting your workforce by identifying hazards early. Labourpower can help you implement practical hazard awareness strategies while providing a workforce that is safety-ready from day one.

Talk to our team of recruitment specialists today on (02) 8336 6200!

 

Barry Geaitani
National HSEQ Manager

 

SAFE WORK MONTH 2025: SAFETY GOES 24/7 AT LABOURPOWER

Posted on by Laurie Innerst

October marks National Safe Work Month 2025, an initiative led by Safe Work Australia to highlight workplace health and safety across all industries. This year’s theme reminds us to prioritise ‘Safety: Every Job, Every Day’ and make it a reality through a proactive approach to managing WHS risks.

At Labourpower, we live and breathe this philosophy every day!

As the National HSEQ Manager, with over 30 years’ experience in workplace health, safety, environment, and quality management, I’ve seen one truth stand out:

Safety doesn’t clock off at 5 pm – safety goes 24/7.

 

 

Safety Goes Beyond the Workplace

 

For many businesses, safety is seen as something that starts at the warehouse gate and ends at the clock-off siren. But, in labour hire and recruitment, safety follows our people into every corner of their day:

  • On the job, whether driving a forklift, loading freight, or working in an office, hazards must be identified, risks managed, and safe practices followed.
  • On the road, fatigue, distraction, and poor planning can turn commutes or client site travel into serious risks.
  • At home, practising safe lifting, proper ergonomics, and mindfulness around wellbeing can prevent injuries and stress that can spill over into the workplace.

At Labourpower, we encourage our teams and clients to view safety as a 24/7 commitment because a safe worker on shift is supported by safe habits off shift.

 

Building a Culture of Safety – Not Just Compliance

 

It’s easy to talk about policies and procedures, but a genuine safety culture is built on trust, leadership, and daily practice.

At Labourpower, we’ve made safety part of our DNA by:

  • Embedding HSEQ inductions into every onboarding process.
  • Running regular toolbox talks with labour hire staff across client sites.
  • Leveraging technology and reporting tools to monitor hazards in real time.
  • Providing mental health support to ensure psychological safety is valued just as highly as physical safety.

In essence, safety is not just a rulebook we hand to employees – it’s a shared value that drives everything we do.

 

The Current Challenges in Recruitment & Labour Hire

 

In 2025, the recruitment and labour hire industry faces some pressing safety challenges, for example:

  • Fatigue management – with shift work and high-demand environments, ensuring workers are rested and fit for duty remains a top priority.
  • Manual handling injuries – still one of the biggest risks in warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing.
  • Workforce diversity – adapting safety programs for a multicultural workforce, ensuring training is clear, inclusive, and effective.
  • Psychosocial hazards – stress, workload, and bullying are emerging as major factors impacting staff wellbeing, reinforced by updated WHS regulations.

By staying ahead of these challenges, Labourpower ensures that our clients receive not only skilled staff but also safe, supported staff.

 

Why Safety Matters to Everyone? Clients, Candidates & Communities

 

For clients, safety means fewer disruptions, lower costs, and a stronger brand reputation.
For candidates, it means confidence, security, and the knowledge that their employer values them.
Most importantly, for the community, it means families know their loved ones come home safe every day.

At Labourpower, we take pride in being more than a labour hire agency – we are workforce safety partners.

 

Safe Work Month 2025 – Call to Action

 

This Safe Work Month, we encourage every business leader, site supervisor, and employee to ask themselves:

What can I do today to make my workplace safer tomorrow?

At Labourpower, we will continue to lead by example, investing in safety, embedding strong practices, and reminding our people that Safety Goes 24/7. Because in the end, nothing matters more than ensuring every person who puts on the Labourpower uniform returns home safe, every single day.

 

Plan of Action

 

Safe Work Australia has structured the month around a four-tiered risk-management framework, with a different focus each week:

  1. Identify Hazards
  2. Assess Risks
  3. Control Risks
  4. Review Controls

 

Week 1: Identify Hazards

In recruitment, this process begins with matching. We map client environments, site conditions, and candidate capabilities through pre-start assessments and site inductions, identifying potential hazards early.

Week 2: Assess Risks

Not all hazards pose the same risk. Therefore, we evaluate the likelihood and severity, prioritising high-impact areas—such as forklift zones, confined spaces, and manual handling—before placements begin.

Week 3: Control Risks

Here’s where we act, for instance:

  • Deploy appropriate PPE (helmets, visibility, gloves).
  • Provide site-specific training, including safe forklift operation and hazard reporting through digital tools like our Labourpower App.

Week 4: Review Controls

Safety isn’t a set-and-forget checklist. Consequently, we conduct regular safety audits and toolbox talks, ensuring controls remain effective and evolve with the worksite.

 

Hot WHS Trends in 2025

 

  • Digital Risk Management: Regulators are scrutinising how technology is used for hazard identification and worker communication. Accordingly, employers must ensure tools facilitate real-time reporting without distraction.
  • Psychosocial Safety: Burnout and mental strain are now acknowledged hazards. We integrate psychological risk controls, Peer SafeTea sessions, and mental health awareness during NSWM.
  • Behaviour-Based Safety: Inspired by initiatives like Daracon’s BBS program, we reinforce safe behaviour through leadership visibility, positive reinforcement, and worker feedback loops.

 

Safe Work Month – How You Can Take Action

 

A Blueprint for Safety

Strategy Action Step
Leverage Safe Work Australia Resources Utilise their Canva toolkits, posters, SafeTea event ideas, and social media tiles to reinforce safety visually.
SafeTea Toolbox Talk Host a safety-themed morning tea with site-specific discussions to spark meaningful engagement.
Worker Involvement Engage workers in hazard hunts and quick risk-spotting competitions to reinforce ownership and accountability.
Psychosocial Health Check Offer brief mental wellbeing check-ins, guided by EAP/safety advisors.
Digital Audits Share workplace safety survey links via your internal network to gather quick feedback and gain valuable risk insights.

 

With 30+ years in safety leadership, I’ve seen firsthand that safety is rarely the most visible aspect—until it’s missing. National Safe Work Month 2025 isn’t just a calendar entry. It’s a national reminder that safety must come first in every shift, every job, every day.

Let’s make safety real, practical, and universal. Because every Australian deserves to return home safely every day.

– Barry Geaitani, National HSEQ Manager

 

 

Resources & Further Reading

 

Looking for a recruitment partner who puts safety first? At Labourpower, safety isn’t just a policy – it’s a promise. Contact us today to discover how our labour hire solutions keep your workforce safe, strong, and supported 24/7!

 

NATIONAL SAFE WORK MONTH: HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING THROUGH COVID-19

Posted on by Nicki Davies

October is National Safe Work Month – a time to commit to improving safety and health in the workplace.

This year’s theme, Work Health and Safety through COVID-19, acknowledges and reflects the wide-reaching impacts of COVID-19 on Australian businesses, employers and workers.

Labourpower National HR Manager Brooke Horbury reflects on the challenges brought about by the pandemic and provides an insight into the initiatives put in place at Labourpower.

TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE KEY CHALLENGES
FACING LABOURPOWER AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC?

COVID-19 brings unprecedented challenges for everyone and Labourpower is learning and adapting every day. Our first step was to set up a COVID Response team within our HR department, establishing COVID safe protocols in accordance with Federal, State and Territory guidelines, to ensure the health and safety of:

  • Casual staff
  • Internal staff, and the
  • Wider community to slow the spread of infection
HOW ARE YOU HELPING CLIENTS TO MITIGATE RISK?

Many of our clients across the country continue to provide essential services and require people to show up to work during the pandemic.

Labourpower helps clients navigate the challenges of operating in a COVID world. Businesses must prioritise staff safety and wellbeing if they are to be sustainable. We work closely with our clients to ensure stringent protocols that help:

  • Identify risks
  • Minimise spread
  • Support any initiatives/processes they have implemented on-site

Labourpower’s National COVID-19 Safety Plan allows us to be agile and responsive, with employee wellbeing and safety at the centre of everything we do.

HOW ARE YOU SAFELY MANAGING SUSPECTED
OR CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19?

As soon as we had our first positive case in the workforce, we knew exactly how to manage the situation to keep our workers safe and limit the spread of COVID-19.

Most importantly, it was reassuring to know that our National COVID-19 Safety plan is effective and works.

Our flexible approach has seen us continually improve and strengthen our processes to create positive outcomes for our staff and clients.

The Labourpower COVID-19 Management team speaks to any employee or client with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. They assess each report on a case-by-case basis to determine how best to manage and mitigate any risk.

HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS HAVE RETURNED TO WORK OVER THIS PERIOD?

As part of our COVID-19 management plan, Labourpower HR requires staff to self-isolate from work if they or anyone in their household:

  • Is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
  • Has had contact with a suspected or confirmed case, or
  • Has tested positive

Once an employee receives a negative COVID-19 result, we ask them a series of questions to ensure they are fit and well for work.

As soon as we identify that there is no risk for them to return to work, the staff member can go back on the roster.

To date, 1753 employees have been cleared to return to work by the Labourpower COVID-19 Management team.

HOW IMPORTANT IS COMMUNICATION AT THIS TIME?

Certainly communication is key to helping our staff and clients navigate the impacts of COVID-19. For example, keeping our workers up-to-date with:

  • Regular text messages,
  • Toolbox talks and
  • Other communications

As well as regular check-ins with people in isolation is important.

Similarly, we also make regular communication with our clients a priority so that they know that we are standing by them. They have confidence that we are able to continue to deliver a service that supports their business and its needs in a way that ensures the health safety of all employees.

ARE THERE ANY POSITIVE OUTCOMES BROUGHT ON BY THE PANDEMIC?

Every member of our team has been remarkable. We have seen incredible resilience as people:

  • Continue to show up to work
  • Cope with the unpredictable, and
  • Maintain a focus on providing quality outcomes for businesses across all industries

I am proud to be part of a team that has shown such a firm commitment and proactive approach to tackling the challenges of COVID-19. Through openness and transparency we are helping to create a safe work environment for individuals and each client’s business.

 

NATIONAL SAFE WORK MONTH 2020

Labourpower is proud to join National Safe Work Month as part of our commitment to building safe and healthy workplaces for all Australians.

#safeworkmonth #safetytogether