The 2025 Whitsundays Job Fair has been hailed a success, bringing together local employers, job seekers, and service providers to strengthen connections across the region’s workforce.
Held at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre on Tuesday 21 October, the event attracted more than 80 job seekers including school students, mid-career professionals, those returning to the workforce, and mature-aged candidates – many arriving prepared with résumés in hand. Several participants secured job interviews as early as the following day.
More than 25 businesses and service providers were represented, with additional businesses listing current vacancies and career opportunities on the Fair’s job board. Participating employers spanned the region’s key industries, including tourism, hospitality, agriculture, resources, education, health, and community services.
The Job Fair provided valuable opportunities for employers and service providers to connect with potential candidates, conduct informal interviews, and discuss local employment pathways.
Photos: IDEAL Placements
It also served as an important platform for business-to-business networking, with discussions centring on key regional workforce themes. Among the hot topics discussed were:
- Strengthening local pathways: The need to build a stronger pipeline between schools, training providers, and local industry to ensure school leavers are aware of regional career options and encouraged to build their futures in the Whitsundays.
- Workforce accommodation: Continued demand for suitable housing and support services, particularly for seasonal workers and employees relocating to the region. Collaboration was identified as key to addressing these challenges and sustaining long-term workforce growth.
- Return-to-work and older workers: Many businesses recognised the value of experience, flexibility, and re-skilling opportunities to retain and diversify talent within the local workforce.
- Volunteerism as a pathway: Highlighted as a valuable entry point for individuals seeking to build skills, confidence, and community engagement.
- The rise of AI and digital transformation: Conversations explored how artificial intelligence and digital technologies are reshaping job design, productivity, and skill requirements. Employers agreed that continuous learning and digital readiness are vital to future regional prosperity.
Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s President Allan Milostic said “When we employ locals, we’re not just filling a role we’re investing in the capability and stability of our community.”
The Whitsundays Job Fair once again demonstrated the power of local collaboration in supporting workforce development, connecting people with opportunities, and strengthening the region’s economy and community resilience.
The Job Fair was hosted by the Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Placements, and Workforce Australia Local Jobs with thanks to the Whitsunday Regional Council and Proserpine Entertainment Centre, and media partners Mackay and Whitsunday Life and StarFM.
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