Industry Workforce Advisors

Industry Workforce Advisors are industry-specific experts dedicated to helping small to medium-sized businesses tackle workforce challenges. As part of the Queensland Government's Industry Workforce Advisor program, Industry Workforce Advisors:

  • provide free tailored workforce-planning assistance
  • connect businesses with relevant programs, funding, and incentives
  • support workforce growth and diversification.

The aim of the program is to help Queensland businesses attract, train and retain the right people, ensuring they have the right skills for the right jobs, now and into the future.

  • An Industry Workforce Advisor can help your business by:

    • identifying solutions to workforce challenges
    • developing a practical workforce plan and future needs
    • suggesting strategies to address skills gaps, workforce shortages. and recruitment and retention challenges
    • connecting you with funding opportunities, wage subsidies, and other government programs to support your workforce needs
    • supporting businesses in diversifying their workforce by recruiting from underrepresented groups, such as migrants, young people, women, First Nations peoples, and people with disabilities.

  • Workforce planning is about making sure your business has the right people, with the right skills, in the right roles, at the right time to meet the needs of your business.

    It involves:

    • looking at your current team: Who do you have working for you? What skills and roles do they cover? Are there any gaps?
    • thinking about the future: What will your business need in the next 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years? Will you need more staff, different skills, or new roles?
    • planning ahead: Deciding how to recruit, train, or upskill your team to meet those future needs.
    • adapting to change: Being ready to adjust your workforce if your business grows, shrinks, or changes direction.

    Read more about workforce planning.

  • Workforce planning can help your business:

    • respond quickly to change
    • be more effective, productive and reduce costs
    • reduce employee turnover by increasing job satisfaction and engagement
    • retain positive and motivated employees
    • identify staff training and development needs.

  • There is no cost. It is a free service provided by the Queensland Government to support small and medium-sized businesses (fewer than 200 employees). The program is funded up to 31 December 2026.

  • Industry Workforce Advisors can help small and medium-sized businesses (fewer than 200 employees) across all of Queensland.

    The following businesses are not eligible:

    • recruitment agencies or other connectivity or employment service providers
    • registered training organisations (RTOs) or other training or education providers
    • local, state and federal government agencies, including local economic development agencies or community-centred business support services (Chambers of Commerce)
    • industry peak bodies, registration/accreditation or membership-based organisations or similar
    • schools.

Contact an Industry Workforce Advisor

The following Industry Workforce Advisors have been contracted to 31 December 2026 to provide coverage for these industry sectors.

Agriculture and horticulture

Kate Reardon
Industry Workforce Advisor
Queensland Farmers' Federation Ltd

Email:
kate@qff.org.au
Phone: (07) 3837 4728

Kate

Automotive

Kelvin Millar
Industry Workforce Advisor
Motor Trades Association of Queensland

Email:
kelvinm@mtaq.com.au
Mobile: 0413 151 622

Kelvin Millar

Business and information and communication technology

Melanie Vearing
Industry Workforce Advisor
Australian Computer Society

Email:
Melanie.Vearing@acs.org.au
Phone: (07) 3179 0472

Melanie Vearing

Community services

Stuart Coward
Industry Workforce Advisor
CheckUP Australia

Email:
scoward@checkup.org.au
Mobile: 0435 869 609

Stuart Coward

Electrotechnology and utilities

Glenn English
Industry Workforce Advisor
Energy Skills Queensland

Email:
genglish@energyskillsqld.com.au
Mobile: 0480 524 849

Glenn English

First Nations health care and social assistance

Carissa McAllister
Industry Workforce Advisor
CheckUP Australia

Email:
cmcallister@checkup.org.au
Mobile: 0498 801 004

Carissa McAllister

Health

Alina Khalid
Industry Workforce Advisor
CheckUP Australia

Email: akhalid@checkup.org.au
Mobile: 0437 490 311

Alina Khalid

Manufacturing and engineering

Karen Knapton
Industry Workforce Advisor
Manufacturing Skills Queensland

Email:
karen.knapton@msq.org.au
Mobile: 0416 471 841

Karen Knapton

Retail and personal services

Victoria Hansen
Industry Workforce Advisor
Australian Retail Council

Email:
victoria.hansen@retail.org.au
Mobile: 0403 467 859

Victoria Hansen

Tourism, hospitality and events

Industry Workforce Advisor
Queensland Tourism Industry Council

Email:
info@qtic.com.au

Transport and logistics

Roger Desailly
Industry Workforce Advisor
Queensland Trucking Association Ltd

Email: roger@qta.com.au
Phone: 0432 327 455

Roger Desailly

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