A new jobs campaign targeting South Australians to do seasonal work in the primary industries sector such as fruit picking and grape harvesting, has been launched today by the Marshall Liberal Government to help boost regional economies dealing with the impacts of coronavirus.

The Seasonal Jobs SA website will connect jobseekers with jobs and agencies sourcing workers across agricultural jobs in the state, providing information on roles and requirements, places to stay, coronavirus restrictions, and more.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Tim Whetstone said the reduction in international and interstate travellers who normally take up seasonal jobs due to coronavirus restrictions, is an opportunity for South Australians whose employment has been impacted by the crisis.

“This is a call to arms for our primary industries sector as we work to fill the jobs needed to ensure harvests across the state can be carried out effectively,” said Minister Whetstone.

“The campaign’s tagline is ‘if you need jobs, we need you’ and it is aimed at not only addressing the significant workforce challenges faced by our primary industries sector going forward but to encourage South Australians to give these seasonal jobs a go.

“By subscribing to the Seasonal Jobs SA website, prospective workers will be able to match their skills to new jobs as the seasonal work changes, as there’s a wide range of roles available and they’ll be different for each sector over the year.

“If you are someone whose employment has been impacted by coronavirus or you’ve always thought about getting hands-on picking fruit or being involved directly in agriculture, I’d encourage you to visit the website and see the opportunities that await.

“This year around 24,000 workers are needed in South Australia in the horticulture sector alone, so I would strongly encourage anyone looking for work to consider seasonal roles.

“Whether it is tree-planting, fruit-picking, vegetable-packing, grape-harvesting or vine-pruning, you’ll be playing an important role in putting food on the tables for South Australian families.

“You could be pruning vines ahead of the 2021 vintage in the Barossa, or be picking premium citrus in Riverland orchards, or planting some of the thousands of trees we need to repopulate our forestry sectors after the recent bushfires.

“These jobs are often outdoors in the fresh air and can be incredibly rewarding and while they often require you to be physically fit, there are a range of seasonal jobs available over the next six months and beyond to suit a number of skill sets.  

“This website will also ensure we are keeping our regional communities safe, with a toolkit of information to help employers and employees understand their coronavirus requirements.”

Visit www.seasonaljobs.sa.gov.au to find out more.