Professionals Australia says APS engineering and technical skills … – Riotact

The latest news as it happens from Canberra and the surrounding region.
GIVE REGULARLY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Local news from the Canberra region.
The Little Pantry Winter Appeal
Help us raise $5,000 this winter
Donate in person or online
News and analysis of APS, ACT public sector and diplomatic corp policy, politics and people.
Manage building approvals
& mandatory inspections
in one place.
Thought-provoking pieces written by local Canberrans and community leaders.
Canberra’s Leading
Relationship Lawyers
Business and technology stories from the Canberra region.
The Outcome Matters
Next Level Dentistry
Next Level Outcomes
Your one-stop destination for the latest Capital region property and real estate news.
Canberra’s first 6 Star Green Star community
Sporting news from the ACT and Capital region.
History in the making
1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom
apartments available.
Find out more
The people, places, pets and passions that give our city life.
Interested in property?
We can help you with that
Where to eat, what to drink in the Canberra region.
Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets
The stories behind the people and places that make Canberra what it is.
Experts in buying, selling & renting
Music, festivals, charity events – everything that’s happening in the Canberra region.
Refreshingly Local
Defence APS staff at Russell Hill offices. Photo: ADF.
The union representing 20,000 professional employees across Australia says many of the key strategic projects Defence hopes to deliver are at risk due to the Government’s reluctance to recognise an appropriate pay structure for engineers and technical staff in the Australian Public Service (APS).
Professionals Australia CEO Jill McCabe said that the lack of critical engineering and technical skills in the APS – and particularly in Defence – has been a “long-standing problem and would undermine the implementation” of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) recommendations if it wasn’t addressed.
Delivered in April, the DSR recognised that Defence is facing significant “workforce challenges” across all areas of the ADF, APS and defence industry, and said that an “innovative and bold approach to recruitment and retention” was required.
“Without creative and flexible responses, the workforce situation in Defence will continue to deteriorate,” it said. “Policy, process, risk appetite and approaches to recruitment must change to increase the speed of recruitment from application to enlistment and recruitment. Recruitment time must be achieved in days, not months.”
READ ALSO The APS has a problem with integrity, just ask the Auditor-General
The DSR recommended that “options should be developed to change Defence’s recruitment framework to improve the eligibility pool of potential applications and to align service recruitment requirements to military employment”.
In response, the Government initiated a retention bonus scheme for uniformed personnel signing back on after their initial return of service obligation, and improved the terms of use for Defence Housing. It also appointed a new 3-star officer position as the inaugural Chief of Personnel from 5 June.
But little appears to have been done to correspondingly attract and retain Defence’s APS technical personnel.
“The DSR Report highlighted that the Defence APS workforce was understrength and an innovative and bold approach to recruitment and retention was required,” Ms McCabe said in the release. “We are concerned that, as new DSR projects are initiated, the demand for these skills will become even more acute, putting capacity to deliver these projects at risk.
“Under the current APS pay structure, the Department simply cannot compete with the salaries offered by the private sector,” she added. “A qualified engineer working in the private sector can earn $30,000 to $100,000 more per year than in the Department of Defence.
“Engineering and technical specialists develop their skills and expertise in the first few years working in Department of Defence, but many then move to private sector companies due to the higher pay on offer.”
READ ALSO Just a little more bargaining to do over APS wages and conditions
The problem has become even more acute in recent weeks after accusations that large companies contracting into Defence such as KPMG had inflated their billing or had charged for work that was never done, or had written the requirements for roles for which they were subsequently contracted.
It is therefore possible Defence will be somewhat tentative about bringing contract technical staff in from industry for the time being, but will have insufficient APS staff of its own to fill any capability gaps.
Ms McCabe said that, as part of the APS enterprise bargaining negotiations currently underway, Professionals Australia had proposed a specific STEM classification and pay structure to allow Defence to compete with the industry in attracting and retaining the skilled personnel needed to deliver projects.
“Although the DSR report indicated that pay and service conditions in the APS as well as ADF should be highly competitive in the labour market, the Australian Public Service Commission has rejected our claim for a specific STEM structure which would help recruit, develop and retain a skilled technical, science and engineering workforce.
“The structure would be targeted at those with the capabilities and qualifications in STEM that Defence required and would remain covered by the Defence Agreement.”
APS member sits next to a contractor who is on twice the salary and probably without the tertiary qualifications
Surprise, surprise, outsourcing results in a loss of expertise. And then it’s very slow and expensive to rebuild it, if it’s even possible. Especially when every staff member is treated as interchangeable (at level), as if different industries and skills don’t exist. Government is reaping what it has sown since at least Howard.
The STEM studnts I teach are sought after by companies who provide expertise to the Department of Defence. It is a shame the department itself is unable to offer attractive salaries directly to attract staff. Instead Defence will be paying contracting companies to get those same people, assuming they are not off working for a renewable energy project, under the USA’s clean energy projects.
Your “fact sheet” merely asserts, and is inadequate as a source of evidence based scholarship. It’s… View
Thanks Bob. My article was in response an article by a Douglas Murray recently in The Australian.… View
The referendum proposal is that Aboriginals be consulted on decisions that affect them. No more or… View
I don’t believe developers would actually have been disappointed by the outcome re: RZ1. It would… View
“ A sale of an expensive property in Reid doesn’t free up a cheaper property in Holt.” The… View
It’s all fait accomplit now. No use grumbling. I’ve had a bit of a look at the documentation,… View
Sad news about Mrs Warboys, albeit at the grand age of 97. There was a time when many of the charity… View
I find that most people in Canberra will merge courteously in a zip move ( such as at z lane one… View
Exactly. In really heavy traffic it is much more efficient to merge at the last minute. View
“A key phrase here is that public servants are informed people and, therefore, have a lot to offer… View
You’re probably right. It should have been established as ordinary legislation, like everything… View
Not all government departments. The AFP has said members can’t comment on the Voice as the… View


Should ACT schools ban all phone use during school hours?

View Results
Monaro Screens is Canberra’s finest and most comprehensive supplier of shower screens, bath screens, mirrors, wardrobe doors, retractable screens, splash backs and all Crimsafe security products.
SolarHub has helped more than 12,000 customers reduce their energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions by harnessing the power of the sun.
Whether you’re buying, selling, renting, leasing, looking for someone to manage your greatest investment, or market your latest development, every bit of property is made possible with Independent.
At GMD, we offer a convenient and healthy solution for everyone who wants to eat well, but may not have the time or energy to cook.
BDN has provided legal services to to Canberra, Queanbeyan and the region for over 160 years.
Blueline Plumbing & Gas are your local specialists in Canberra for all domestic plumbing and gas fitting needs.
For almost 30 years, Detlev’s expert Canberra Electricians have been supporting homes and businesses with superior appliance repairs and installations, electrical services and building automation.
A passionate team of Canberrans helping other Canberrans secure their home loans. No frills, no commissions, no brainer.
Subscribe to receive the latest local voices straight to your inbox.
Download the Riotact app to get all the latest news, events and opinions wherever you are.
Region Media acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and report. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and emerging and commit our company to ongoing acts of reconciliation. You can read our Reconciliation Action Plan here.
Copyright © 2023 Region Group Pty Ltd ABN 85 168 887 232. All rights reserved.
the-riotact.com | regionmedia.com.cn | regionillawarra.com.au | regionriverina.com.au | aboutregional.com.au | capeyorkweekly.com.au | thisiscanberra.com | mygungahlin.com.au
Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

source