Eric Scott Electrical and Air Conditioning Services has advertised one free carton per week for any qualified electrician who successfully gets a job with them.

Operations manager, Dion Biggs, said the idea was one he stole from a television show.

“This guy from Cairns advertised free beer for a year for any business who hired his son as a qualified electrician,” Mr Biggs said.

Instead of advertising the same, old way Mr Biggs and Mr Scott thought that this may get a good response.

“We rang the man from Cairns and had a chat to him. He had around 200 businesses trying to hire his son so it worked for him,” he said.

At the moment his advertisement is running in the Moree Champion and Northern Daily Leader.

“If our response isn’t good enough in the two local papers we are going to try for Brisbane and Sydney papers because they have quite a lot of electricians working for big companies up there,” Mr Biggs said.

Between two and three spots are on offer but there is a criteria that has to be filled.

“The job won’t just go to anyone. We are in the public eye every day and it’s a small town,” Mr Scott said.

“Someone who is a qualified electrician with proven experience is who we are looking for but things like solar qualifications and other knowledge will certainly help them,” Mr Biggs added.

It is “near impossible” to get skilled workers in Moree, according to Mr Scott, although the pair are hoping at least two locals will apply for the job.

Mr Biggs believes there are a few reasons behind the shortage of skilled workers in town.

“Most of them are chasing money in the mines but nowadays it’s also because of the big push from the educational system for further education instead of apprenticeships,” Mr Biggs said.

Not only will the successful applicants get free beer for a year but could also receive a mobile phone, work vehicle and depending on the person housing.

“Maybe we’ll get a good, old fashioned, hard working, beer drinking Aussie to come to Moree,” Mr Scott said.