Future perfect – will we have made it? Workforce planning issues in the library and information sector
(2006) Future perfect – will we have made it? Workforce planning issues in the library and information sector. In Proceedings ALIA 2006 Biennial Conference: Click06, Perth, W.A..
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Abstract
While the impact of the shortage of doctors makes front page news and political parties promote rival strategies to increase the number of apprenticeships for the trades, to date little attention has been paid to the workforce challenges that the library and information profession will inevitably face in the next five to ten years. As business and governments focus ever more keenly on knowledge and innovation as key drivers for social and economic development, library managers must consider their ability to recruit, retain and develop the talented and committed workforce needed to contribute to this dynamic information environment. While anecdotal evidence indicates that the ageing workforce will lead to staff shortages, the problem is compounded by the changing skill set that librarians need in the Information Age. What are the predictions for potential labour shortages, what types of jobs will be available through the combined factors of the retirement of workers and the creation of new jobs, what is the skill set required for current and future jobs? Critically, the future of the library profession in Australia requires a more strategic approach to workforce planning and career development in an increasingly competitive employment market. This paper reports on a current project, coordinated by Queensland University of Technology in conjunction with ALIA and CAVAL, which aims to foster an awareness of the importance of workforce planning and to develop a collaborative framework for career long learning for the library profession, bringing together employers, educators, trainers and individual practitioners.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Status: | Published |
| Keywords: | librarianship;workforce planning;career development |
| Subjects: | 400000 Journalism, Librarianship and Curatorial Studies > 400200 Librarianship > 400201 Librarianship |
| ID Code: | 5225 |
| Deposited By: | Moody, Kim Elizabeth |
| Deposited On: | 06 October 2006 |
| Alternative Locations: | http://conferences.alia.org.au/alia2006/conference_papers.html |
| Copyright Owner: | Copyright 2006 Gillian C. Hallam |