Attraction and Industry Image

Background

Rail is not attracting sufficient numbers of engineers, tradespersons and operational staff to fulfill current and future needs. Research suggests that rail does not attract its share of university and TAFE graduates or other suitably qualified staff because, in some cases, rail careers are not seen as attractive and, in other cases, because there is a lack of awareness of rail careers among traditional and non-traditional sources of recruitment. The issue for rail, therefore, involves developing rail image/employer branding to make it better known and more attractive as an employer and developing innovative attraction strategies.

Objective

This project will research rail and similar industries’ ‘better’ practices in employer branding and attraction strategies nationally and internationally. It will also identify the knowledge and perceptions of rail careers in engineering, key trades and technical networks in universities, TAFEs, private providers and the recruitment industry.

Outcomes

Comprehensive documentation of the components of the project will take the form of three major deliverables. Two are reports on potential employees and their influencers’ perceptions of rail careers. The third is a portfolio of innovative branding and attraction strategies. Dissemination of findings will also take the form of short reports and articles for rail publications and seminars or workshops to discuss findings and implications for practice.

Benefits

The project has the potential to develop innovative practices that enhance the image of rail as an employer of choice and attract a larger and more qualified pool of potential employees. These innovative practices are expected to directly contribute to workforce planning and the sustainability of the industry.