Aussie Jobs in 2019: A Breakdown

The Australian Government’s Department of Jobs and Small Business has shared some interesting developments within the labour market over the last 30 years.

Some key takeaways from its “Australian Jobs 2019” report include how the education and training sector can respond to the skills job seekers need, and what future workforce demands will be.

VIC

The state that has seen the most substantial employment growth over the past five years in Victoria. The state’s total number of workers now 3,339,200, with the bulk of this employment being in Melbourne. What’s interesting is that in Victoria, workers are more likely to be self-employed than in other states, with 18% of the Victorian workforce striking out on their own.

NSW

Over 4.05 million individuals work in the state of NSW, making it Australia’s largest employing state, with most people working in Sydney. The growth of employment over the past four years has been above the national average, the largest of which can be observed in the professional, scientific and technical services sector.

QLD

Queensland is a state that is mainly known for its mining and farming industry, and its labour market conditions have remained stable over the past five years, with employment increasing by 5.6%. 34% of workers hold a Certificate III or above in the state, showing how commonplace vocational education is.

TAS

The most regionally diverse figures were seen in Tasmania, with over 55% of its jobs based outside of Hobart. Tasmania holds the largest share of part-time work in the country, with 37% of people being in part-time work. The state also has the oldest workforce in the country, with over 46% of its workers being 45 or older.

WA

In Western Australia, the bulk of employment is in mining with 111,000 people employed in the industry. Due to the decline of the construction industry, the state has seen weakened employment growth.

Despite the industry slowing down, however, WA still holds 43% of the nation’s mining jobs. Recovering strongly in the past year, mining continues to be the largest employer in WA, accounting for 8% of all jobs in the state.

SA

In South Australia, workers are much less likely to hold post-school qualifications than in any other state or territory. With 80% of its employees based in Adelaide, the capital seems to be where the bulk of the state’s opportunities lie. Youth employment also appears to be on the rise, increasing by 8% over the past year.

NT

The majority of workers in the Northern Territory are employed on a full-time basis, with more than 80% of workers being in full-time employment. However, it’s been found that overall, employment appears to be decreasing (a drop of 1.8% in the past five years). Concerningly, youth unemployment has also been increasing, rising to 10.6% in January 2019.

ACT

The ACT appears to be the most highly educated workforce in the country, with more than ¾ of workers holding tertiary level qualifications. The largest employing industry of the state is the Public Administration and Safety sector, with 66,700 individuals working in these fields.

This report highlights some of the exciting opportunities and developments for the education and training sector that can be implemented within the industry.

The largest-growing industry in the country is the Healthcare and Social Assistance industry, having increased by 163.2% across 30 years.

We can therefore reliably predict that there will be greater demand for education and training in this field. The growth of the Healthcare and Social Assistance industry is in part due to Australia’s ageing population and its overall population growth.

The sector is full of potential, especially for private education providers who represent 70% of all vocational enrolments.
The report suggests that more quality training needs to be provided in high-demand areas for young people, which in turn will assist with employability.

Since September 2008, long-term unemployment amongst youth has risen by 186.2%, demonstrating the ongoing struggle of young people seeking employment.

In regards to the increasing demand for further education, the Department has noted that the “majority of employment growth over the past five years has been in occupations that require post-school qualifications (either VET or higher education), meaning the requirement for further education is expected to grow.”

In order to grow with the current trends, the Education and Training sector needs to respond to the demand in high-growth sectors and also support job-seekers once they’ve completed their education or training.

By pursuing further education, the job search for Australians can be fast-tracked.

It’s also been found that anyone who holds a certificate III or higher earns more than those who haven’t studied. The full-time average salary for VET graduates who are working six months after completion of their training is $56,000.

The industries with the strongest employment outcomes after study are Rehabilitation, Pharmacy, Veterinary Science, Teacher Education, Medicine and Dentistry.

When looking into essential skills of the future, the Department of Jobs and Small Business found that for Australian jobs, employability skills were just as necessary as technical skills. 3/4 of employers place equal or more importance on employability skills than they do on technical skills.

For occupations that require fewer skills, personable skills such as:

• Motivation
• Excellent work ethic
• Reliability
• Personal Presentation

are of just as much importance as a qualification.

For higher-skilled occupations,

• Teamwork skills
• Empathy
• Excellent communication
• Organisational skills

are all held in high regard.

In the report, it was identified that the current emerging skills include initiative, critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, flexibility, innovation and resilience.

Microcredentials in these skill-sets have also been on the rise, affirming their significance in the eyes of current employers. Automation is also on the increase in the labour market, so social skills like emotional and social intelligence are especially valued.

The “Australian Jobs 2019” report has identified a shift in Australia’s labour market from one that provides goods to one that provides services, with the nation now having more disposable income to burn.

The department states that “the steady progression of employment advancement in the labour market projects a strong future, the switch to service is expected to continue to positively impact industry areas, such as ‘Health Care and Social Assistance.’”

Of all future employment, 66.4% of it is expected to be in the departments of Health Care, Social Assistance, Education and Training, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services and Construction.