For years local governments in Australia have been facing the challenge of attracting young talent to community work.

Now we are in a particularly crucial moment, because one third of Australia's local government workforce is reaching retirement age in the next decade. Compared to the private sector, local governments are equipped with fewer monetary resources and are not always good at providing clear career paths and training and promotion opportunities.

Australian social researcher Hugh Mackay believes that despite its financial disadvantage for attracting Gen-Y professionals, local government is actually an ideal fit with the millennials.

Contrary to popular views, Hugh Mackay believes Gen Y is a "we" generation, rather than an "I" generation. Young people today are full of ambition and commitment to make the world a better place. They are keen on environmental preservation, embrace cultural differences and are committed to making a difference in the community. 

For local government managers, to harness the energy of Gen Y for community work means to adapt new technology and working environment to appeal to Gen Ys. After all, in Australia, local government is the only level of government that has a direct contribution to local communities.

To read more about how local governments attract Gen-Y, LG Manager October/November edition is online now!                      

http://localgovernmentmanager.lgma.org.au/#folio=21