Employers have to accept that they cannot plug skills shortages by hiring new. younger staff. In the past 18 months workers in the age bracket 18-24 have had larger than average salary increases. Employers need to "build their own" by training staff in soft skills such as leadership, teamwork, and workload management.
How to build the skills of staff:

• Speak to them and find out what skills they ould like to develop
• Include training and skills development in all job descriptions
• Commit a percentage of revenue to improving skills
• Consult a registered training organisation to work out needs, funding eligibility and programs for impoving skills
• Sombine online training with face-to-face training
• Combine training with mentoring or a buddy program and reglar performance reviews.

From BRW, September 8-14, 2005, pgs 52-53.