In response to member requests for tools to help with hiring and retaining migrant engineers, Engineers Australia worked with Consult Australia and the Queensland government to produce a guidebook for migrant engineering employment.

Strategies to attract and retain engineering from migrant and refugee backgrounds provides support to engineering employers on how to tap into the skills, knowledge and experience of Queensland’s extensive onshore migrant and refugee workforce.

It outlines the benefits of hiring migrant and refugee engineers, how to understand overseas qualifications and what support is available for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Tips on retainment strategies including workplace support, community links and language development are available in the guide. It also features a list of Queensland government programs and funding employers can access to help assist businesses to retain migrant and refugee employees.

This piece of work is part of Engineers Australia's continued commitment to addressing engineering skills shortages, highlighted in the Strengthening the Engineering Workforce discussion paper.

Engineers Australia Queensland General Manager Stacey Rawlings says Engineers Australia research shows that almost 60 per cent of our qualified engineers are not working because they are migrants, and they can’t crack the Australian jobs market at a time when employers are reporting skills shortages.

 “Productive employment of our migrant engineers is vital to our national engineering capability and this guide will help employers access this ready-made pool of smart, skilled engineering professionals.”

Already over 58 per cent of engineers employed in Australia are overseas-born. The aim of this guide is to help employers to look towards migrant and refugee employment to fill some of the skills shortages being experienced.

Consult Australia Queensland Manager Kristine Banks says we know Australia produces engineering graduates at among the lowest levels in the OECD.

“At the same time, 28 per cent of qualified civil engineers from migrant backgrounds are unable to find work in their occupation. This guide aims to help employers bridges the knowledge gap with practical strategies that will open doors to more migrant talent.”

See the full media release on the Queensland government website.