Tamworth Joblink Plus' Emily Roy said labour market gaps are due to lock outs

And, the workforce gaps mean business owners are doing their own PA, receptionist and admin work, according to the business chamber president.

For the month of February 2023, those that did not look for work were represented the most when listed by reason for unemployment in NSW, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data revealed.

Those aged 65 and older permanently not intending to work, and then those permanently unable to work, followed.

There's a strong narrative in terms of it being a job seekers market, Joblink Plus executive lead Emily Roy said.

"That is pretty true for people who are skilled and have experience and who are currently working," she said.

Joblink Plus primarily supports people who are presented with a challenge when entering the labour market.

Those challenges can range from needing a qualification, to suffering mental health issues, she said.

"Doing a qualification, it can feel overwhelming," she said.

"Or it's the first time they've done any training since they left school, and potentially they left school in year 10.

"So even something that seems quite simple can feel like a really big barrier."

Many of the people Joblink Plus supports need to organise childcare, and transport to education and training.

"We've got a pretty buoyant labour market right now, but people for whom the system has kept them locked out of that market, that problem is exacerbated right now," she said.

"And everything has been compounded by the housing crisis, and the cost of living crisis."

The issue is employers have specific jobs they need to get done, whereas people looking for work need an opportunity to get the experience, Ms Roy said.

Tamworth Business Chamber president Matthew Sweeney said a survey of members revealed administration work is becoming a prevalent issue.

Business owners are now taking their mail to the post office themselves, he said.

Mr Sweeney, an accountant, said a once rare request to do basic bookkeeping is the "number one" demand.

"Where a lot of that stuff used to trickle down, at the moment, that seems to be trickling up," he said.

"And the person left holding it generally is the business owner."

Staff retention and hiring are also among the biggest pain points for businesses in the city, he said.

Solutions include flexibility, and supporting employers to create psychologically safe workplaces, Ms Roy said.

"There's two approaches, you can either take a sort of toughen up and pull up your bootstraps approach," she said.

"Or we can do things a little differently and say, okay, how do we create a workplace that is supportive, but also safe, and also introduces a young person to the world of work?"

Health care, social assistance, aged care, child care, project management and trades are jobs most in demand in Tamworth, Ms Roy said.

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