EMERGING industries like renewable energy and mines could employ hundreds or thousands of people in the Orana region in the next few years, according to Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana.
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RDA Orana said yesterday a report released on Sunday indicating the region faced an uncertain future when it came to job opportunities did not take those emerging industries into account.
The State of the Regions 2014-2015 report released by the Australian Local Government Association highlighted a decline in the local agricultural workforce, Orana's slow jobs growth compared with the national average and a higher than average proportion of residents receiving social security.
Orana RDA chair John Walkom said the report's forecast was based on trends over the past two decades, rather than any recent analysis of emerging opportunities in the region.
"The information from the report is reflective of the region over the past 20 years, but we've had 10 years of drought packed into that and that will skew any statistics," Mr Walkom said.
"In that time we've also experienced an ageing population, therefore a higher need for social benefits.
"You also need to take into account the demographics and those that are coming from a socially-disadvantaged background have stayed in those communities and affected the average. Many who are working have left, and it's created a gap in the actual skills level in the community and what is needed now."
Identifying skills shortages and making the most of emerging industries in the Orana region was the focus of a research project RDA Orana had engaged Sydney-based research organisation Urbis Pty Ltd to undertake, Mr Walkom said, which would be phase one of the region's Workforce Planning and Development Strategy.
"Our region covers a quarter of the state, we can't just say to someone from Bourke 'move to Mudgee for a job' because they might not have the training or skills set for that," he said.
"But if we can find out exactly what jobs a community needs our training can be specific. State and national averages won't tell us that."
Mr Walkom said the ongoing uncertainty about whether the Cobbora Coal project and whether a forecast 1700 associated jobs would come to fruition would have a "massive" impact on employment opportunities in the region.
He said RDA Orana was hopeful jobs would be created in other areas, including renewable energy.
"We've spoken about that and opportunities in carbon trading, there are some farmers in the Cobar area who took no notice of the sceptics and have moved forward with capturing and trading carbon," he said.
"A particular guy out there understands it very well and we're talking about opportunities in the millions of dollars.
"We won't need to worry too much about the legislative processes, it's happening, it will be driven by the market.
"And that money will be spent in that community. People have to be employed to maintain those properties. That's an economic stimulus."
Rare earths sourced from the Orana region were another promising industry, according to Mr Walkom.
"There will very much be an opportunity for the offtake of rare earths, there is an 80-year supply in just one spot here," he said.
"Also, we want to get a consistent message to all levels of government about the need for infrastructure in the planning process.
"That in itself is a stimulus that creates employment. That infrastructure might be improving our connectivity to ports, whether it be by road, rail or air, which is a important step when we are looking at being more innovative and productive with our manufacturing."
Meanwhile Mr Walkom said the oft-reported notion that Dubbo was a sponge city sucking the residents and spending out of surrounding communities was not how the region should plan to grow the city.
"Dubbo needs the region and the region needs Dubbo," he said.
"Agriculture is one of the backbones of our economy. Part of our workforce strategy will be coming up with ways to retain young people in the smaller communities. If a business needs a trade, we need to make sure someone's being trained in that trade.
"And there are solid, positive things happening in our communities all the time. Take Nyngan for instance, with the new solar project, the copper mine and agriculture there, Nyngan is a classic example of a community that has come from the doldrums of the drought with not a lot of economic activity to now, 2014, where it's a shining light."
