Muswellbrook, about 248 kilometers (154 miles) north of Sydney, is rolling up its sleeves to change the working waters in their town. The town is putting a concerted effort into recruiting essential workers. Fatemeh Mohebpour, a general practitioner who recently relocated to the Upper Hunter. She is accompanied by Asha Thomas, a registered Nurse employed at the local Denman Hospital /Community Services Centre, Denman being only 26 kilometers to the SW of Muswellbrook.
The Essential Worker Attraction Program is one of seven programs making up the state government’s total, $25 million attraction and retention initiative. Its aim is to address the critical shortage of health workers in rural and remote communities. This program as it stands is currently available in only 15 regions. Of all the communities in the study, Muswellbrook emerged as the most important case study due to its imminent economic transition.
Fatemeh Mohebpour took the life-transforming choice to exchange Shiraz, Iran’s fifth most populous metropolis, for a medical career serving the individuals of Muswellbrook. Her journey is testimony to a positive, emerging trend. Increasingly, knowledge professionals are leaving over-heating urban centers and flying over smaller towns to find attractive opportunities and lifestyles.
“With everything going on in the news, I want to be a part of the solution.” Asha Thomas on moving to Denman UK-born Asha Thomas told Ex-PM that she is excited about her move from the UK to Denman, adding that she loves it!
Over the past few months, nearly 200 people have been successfully resettled in the Upper Hunter region thanks to this initiative. With the program, moving is incredibly easy. It provides resources for newcomers to local services, making it easier for them to establish roots in their new communities.
Katrina Kiely spoke to the difference the human element makes in this process.
“The success of this service is, it’s that human connection. And that can’t be replicated,” she stated.
The program’s effects are especially critical now that Muswellbrook braces for a future in which a majority of traditional mining jobs will be gone. According to Jeff Drayton, the mayor of Muswellbrook Shire, the region anticipates losing 60 percent of its mining jobs within the next four and a half years.
It is very, very important to us that the government keep supporting us and to support this program,” said Drayton. He pointed out that hiring healthcare professionals is not simply a statewide challenge. This is an issue impacting areas from Perth to Sydney, from Logan to Hobart.
Muswellbrook has begun the process of moving into new industries, particularly renewable energy projects. Right now, they’re in the process of building a solar farm and battery energy storage system, generating an immediate need for skilled workers. This new solar push will help power as many as 60,000 homes. It marks a significant strategic development in the economic architecture of the region.
For most recent arrivals such as Fatemeh and Asha, community support is crucial in helping them adapt and thrive in their new home. Fatemeh spoke to the power of local connections in helping her to feel at home, even when she’s far from her family.
“The colours of my eyes, the colour of my hair, I’m totally different with them. But they accept me as one of their members,” she said. “It made me feel ‘I’m home.’”
Asha reflected on her experiences, highlighting how the community has provided her with a sense of security and belonging.
“I didn’t expect that someone would help me with everything. And I feel so secure here. It’s slow pace, good quality of life,” she noted.
The community commitment efforts concentrate on providing essential workers with quality jobs. They foster social connections which are key to a vibrant life in any place, perhaps especially in a new one.
“They introduce us to different facilities in the city to us, like ‘this is the shops, this is the restaurant, this is the gym,’ everything,” Fatemeh explained. As a tool for the individual who might be totally new to an area, it’s a godsend.”
As regional areas like Muswellbrook adapt to changing economic realities, it becomes increasingly important for programs like the Essential Worker Attraction Program to succeed. With significant mining job reductions on the horizon, local leaders stress that diversifying industries and attracting talent will be essential for sustaining growth and community welfare.
