Perhaps one of the most gratifying and satisfying elements of my role as CEO of Programmed Skilled Workforce is seeing people succeed in work and then in life.
Every day I hear encouraging stories from across our business about people from all backgrounds who have created a future for themselves and their families, having found themselves employment and placed with a Programmed customer.
Together with our customers, we successfully employ tens of thousands of people each year, keeping them safe, providing an income, developing their skills, supporting the communities in which we operate and creating pathways and a future workforce through our apprentice and trainee programs. With all this happening every day, it is difficult to hear the recent misinformation being spread about our industry.
While I do accept there may be some companies in our industry, as with all industries, that do not behave in a reputable manner, it is the minority and an entire industry should not be tainted because of the behaviours of the few. We should not blame but instead work together to improve employment opportunities, building outstanding people, strong customers and great communities.
The opportunity to debate is an important part of a healthy democracy, but opinion should not be passed as fact.
Some assertions being made publicly are not supported by facts nor do they support the needs of a prosperous, healthy economy and diverse inclusive society. Flexible employment including casual, contract and part-time has, and will continue to, play an important role in building a sustainable workforce in Australia. Casual employment represents approximately 25 per cent of our workforce, with these employment levels remaining relatively stable for the past 24 years.
We’re proud of the role we play in helping Australia and New Zealand industry maintain and improve productivity. Working together with our customers, we’re all helping to create a sustainable future.
How we support and develop our people, both professionally and personally, is one of the many things that makes me feel proud to lead this organisation. Daily decisions are made through a lens of putting people-first, with careful consideration of the impacts not only to individuals but to those around them.
As people, in work and life, we share the same beliefs, concerns, interests, passions and anxieties and on any given day, these can influence the decisions we make whether it’s in far-north Queensland working to prepare LNG for export or driving home along an unmade road to our family in the Pilbara. We believe that supporting and developing the whole person, regardless of their role at that particular moment in time, provides the best chance of success for them, their communities and the organisations they work in every day.
As Programmed continues to grow, the industry evolves and the expectations of our customers and employees grow too, we strive to remain as adaptable, motivated and responsive to our employees and customers as if it were our first year of operation. We are Australia’s largest staffing business, well placed to navigate the rapidly changing demands of our industry. How we have arrived here is a story I am particularly proud of, as it has taken the vision, strong work ethic, enthusiasm and innovation of the entire organisation to get to this point.
Our organisation is evolving to support the growing needs of our diverse customer base, and as we do, it is the input of all employees, working collaboratively with customers, that ensures our journey, and yours, remains a successful one.
Nic Fairbank
CEO, Programmed Skilled Workforce
Published as part of the August edition of our industry insights and news editorial.
