South Australian Regional Local Government
Local Government entities in South Australia are known as Councils. Of the 68 Councils in South Australia, 47 are in rural or regional locations. Councils in regional South Australia are responsible for a wide range of services and activities including:
- Planning and development building assessment;
- Local roads and footpaths, street lighting waste management and recycling;
- Sport and recreational facilities swimming pools, parks and gardens;
- Arts and cultural programs, libraries, tourism;
- Public health, immunisations animal control bush fire prevention; and
- The management of cemeteries community and economic development aged care and youth programs.
Local government organisations in South Australia employ more than 9,000 people, which makes Councils one of the state's largest employers. South Australian Councils have from 10 to 600 staff and have responsibility for districts ranging from large metropolitan areas to rural, outback, semi-urban and coastal regions. There are many job options available and, with such a wide range of skills required, there is something on offer for everyone.
Local Government is a vibrant part of every South Australian community and offers great employment conditions and opportunities, especially in the regional areas which include the Limestone Coast, the Murray Mallee and Riverland, Eyre Peninsula, the Southern Fleurieu, Hills and Kangaroo Island region, the Yorke & Mid North, Barossa and Flinders and the Outback.
Advantages of working in a regional council
Working in local government in a regional area provides a genuine opportunity to directly shape the future of the community you live in and to see the results first hand. There is a lot of personal job satisfaction to be gained when the community benefits directly from the work you undertake. Working in a regional council provides a great opportunity for career advancement and also offers a higher level of job security plus opportunities for full time employment. Additionally, support for professional development, including on-going training and access to further education, is often provided.
Regional Councils also provide excellent scope for accelerated career advancement with promotions often coming sooner than would be the case in larger Councils. Working in a rural area also provides the opportunity to become multi-skilled as employees are generally working within a smaller team. Consequently, employees become familiar with the wider operation of the Council and become aware of opportunities that they might not have encountered before. The work in regional Councils is often quite autonomous, and, as such, offers flexibility and the opportunity to demonstrate initiative. Most importantly, working in regional Councils offers excellent work-life balance !
Jobs available in regional councils and key skill shortages?
Jobs in Local Government are broadly classified into four main areas - engineering and technical services, community services, corporate services and environmental. There are around 100 different job types available in local government, including professional areas requiring tertiary studies, clerical and administrative support opportunities, and roles for tradespersons and outdoor employees. There are always opportunities for employment in rural Councils in areas like town planning and building services, public health, technical services and engineering, finance and accounting, community services and a whole range of work across parks and gardens, road building and maintenance.
Working in Local Government offers prospective employees the chance to work across a wide range of projects and locations and, as the skills and conditions are transferable, it also offers the opportunity to work at different Councils in South Australia and really make the most of the State’s fabulous regional areas.
Benefits for families to move to regional South Australia?
There are a number of unique benefits associated with living and working in regional South Australia. In particular;
- it offers a great work-life balance, and
- the opportunity to advance your career and to really help shape the future of the local community.
There is a strong sense of community in regional South Australia towns. They are safe, family oriented, and have a good network of education, health, sport, recreation and leisure activities, and affordable housing. Regional South Australia is a great place to raise a family.
To learn more about Local Government in South Australia visit: here
To find a great job in South Australian Regional Local Government: here
