Jobs Guide -Australian job prospects

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Australian job prospects

Here is a quick round up of the employment prospects for the autotrade, electrical and construction industries in Australia.

Automotive trades
In Australia, automotive tradespeople are mainly employed in the retail industry, with the remainder employed in manufacturing, transport and storage. According to ABS Labour Force Survey data, the employment of automotive tradespeople increased nationally by 7 per cent during 2006, while vehicle painters recorded the largest increase at 41 per cent. The DEWR Skilled Vacancies Index shows that vacancies in the industry have risen substantially in recent years, while there is a persistent shortage across motor vehicle trades.

In New South Wales there is some demand for automotive tradespeople, but this is moderated by the recent slow in economic activity. In Western Australia, on the other hand, the employment of automotive tradespeople rose by 8.4 per cent in 2006, while the number of vacancies advertised increased by 5 per cent. Shortages of vehicle trades persons persists in WA, and all the assessed trades are in state-wide shortage. Research conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that the employment of automotive tradespeople in Tasmania has increased by 6.7 per cent over the last five years. Indicators suggest that demand for vehicle trades will remain strong in the state, although some trades such as panel beaters and vehicle painters may be less in demand due to declining road accidents.

Electrical and electronics trades
Across Australia, demand for the electrical trades is linked closely with activity in the construction, manufacturing and electricity supply industries. In New South Wales, recent employment of electrical tradespeople has been affected adversely by weak demand from the manufacturing and residential building industries. A report issued by the ABS Labour Force Survey indicated that employment and vacancies for the electrical trades were down in the region, as did data from the DEWR Skilled Vacancy Index. Employment is expected to remain low for now due to New South Wales' overall low economic growth. However, construction activity is expected to increase in the future which should have a beneficial effect on the employment of electrical tradespeople.

In Victoria, the strong manufacturing and construction industries have boosted demand for electrical tradespeople. They are mostly employed in manufacturing, wholesale, telecommunications and other business services. The Survey of Employers who Recently Advertised showed that there was a shortage of electrical tradespeople in Victoria in recent months – electricians and refrigeration and air cooling mechanics are particularly in demand. In Queensland, demand for the assessed trades of general electrician, lift mechanic and refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanic has grown steeply. This is a result of high levels of activity in residential building, manufacturing, non-residential building and mining. In particular, people with skills in industrial control systems and instrumentation are prized, but general electricians in the housing sector are also in demand. All three assessed electrical trades are rated as being in state-wide shortage in Queensland.

Construction
Due to a number of national and state non-residential construction projects, the demand for construction workers across Australia has grown in recent years. In Western Australia, the buoyant economy and the thriving building industry have both contributed to the need for construction workers. According to ABS data there was an increase of 22.7 per cent in the value of all building construction work done in the state in the 12 months to June last year, compared to the same period the year before. This represents increases of 26.7 per cent and 16.5 per cent in residential and non-residential building work respectively.

The ABS data also showed that the employment of construction workers in Western Australia rose by 3,900 (11 per cent) in 2006, although the DEWR Skilled Vacancies Index count showed the overall number of vacancies for all construction trades in the West Australian newspaper going down by 2.6 per cent compared to the previous year. There were less advertised vacancies for bricklayers, carpenters and joiners, roof-slaters and tilers, but more for finishing trades. This possibly indicates the beginning of a slow down in the growth of construction trades, which may be due to recent rises in interest rates.
The Labour Force Survey indicates that the employment of construction tradespeople in New South Wales has increased slightly in 2006. On the other hand, vacancies in the state remain well below their peak in the period from 2002 to 2004, and supply from apprenticeships completions are expected to increase strongly in 2007–2008. Given these factors, New South Wales may not be a good choice for those looking for a career in construction.

In South Australia, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, shortages exist in a number of construction occupations. These include floor and roof tilers, painters and plumbers, with general plumbers most in demand across the board. It is in Queensland, however, that construction workers can expect to find the most employment. In the second half of 2006 a total of ten skilled construction trades were assessed, with the conclusion that there is demand for workers in many of these trades.

Over the last few years, levels of activity in the residential building sector have held up well, and this is expected to continue in the near future. Non-residential building has been undergoing a boom, driven by strong growth in private investment in retail, commercial and industrial buildings. Commercial construction turnover at current prices is forecast to grow by 5.7 per cent in 2006–2007 and 3.5 per cent in 2007–2008. With the exception of surveying and cartographic associate, all assessed occupations related to construction are now in demand in Queensland. Many of the state's employers also offer excellent in-house training to inexperienced recruits.

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15 January 2008

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