Just wondering how everyone else is going with the country nearing full employment. I've been trying to hire reception staff and note that wages for unskilled labour (no responsibility, learn the job in 1-2 hours) are similar to low skilled labour (learn the job in weeks to months and require certificate level qualification). Recently, I have also seen unskilled getting higher skilled wages - Looking through NDIS employment on offer, you can pick up a nice job looking after someone for up to $88k a year. Talking with friends, there are reports some are getting higher rates of $1000 a day for a 12 hour shift for a behaviorally disordered person. That person getting the $1000/day was studying nursing and has now quit since the qualification isn't required anymore.
So what is going on? Is it a shortage of job seekers or a shortage of higher skilled jobs with everyone upskilling or is it that unskilled who do not want to work anymore or perhaps it is the NDIS to blame. Lots of possibilities but no answers.
I do wonder about the impact on all businesses that need unskilled labour and already operate on low-profit margins. I quizzed my sandwich shop lady who makes my daily Reuben (Corned beef, Sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Rye Bread, Thousand Island Dressing, Russian dressing). She confirmed my worst fears that the price of a Reuben will likely double in 12-24 months if the wages staff shortage isn't sorted out. She can't get staff yet demand for sandwiches is good.
So what happens next? Are we looking down the barrel of stagflation? How do we get this sorted out?
