Perspectives on Indigenous Recruitment and Retention: Depicting Unique Challenges and Opportunities in Canada and Australia

Construction and engineering firms look to recruit, hire and retain Indigenous peoples for diverse types of roles in Australia and Canada, such as civil engineering, general labour and heavy equipment operators. According to the Canadian 2021 Census, there were 1.8 million First Nations, Métis and Inuit (Indigenous) people, representing 5.0% of the total Canadian population. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, as three distinct groups, have their unique histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. Overall, more than 1.6 million people in Canada self-identify as Indigenous people. Australia’s Indigenous peoples comprise two distinct cultural groups: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. However, there is great diversity within these groups, highlighted by more than 250 different language groups found across the nation. Based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021) data, there were 983,700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, representing 3.8% of the total Australian population. In this article, we aim to shed some light on Canadian and Australian practitioners’ perspectives regarding the challenges and opportunities of Indigenous recruitment and retention in the construction and engineering industry context.