Australia’s Skills Shortages: How They Can Help You Find In-Demand Careers

When it comes to choosing a career direction, there are a few approaches you can take.

You can begin from within, learning about various careers, then deciding which career will be a good personal fit.

You can also look at the Australian labour market and try to plot a career that will head in a secure, well-paid career area that looks set to grow in the future. In this case, you’ll be well-advised to find out which occupations are experiencing skill shortages, and which industries are set to grow over the next 5 years.

According to the law of supply and demand, you can increase your value in the labour market by identifying the skills and experience that employers are having difficulty finding. There are, of course, soft skills that can apply across many fields and that are always in demand. These are indispensable for your career progression. You can, however, make yourself an extra-rare commodity by purposefully gaining technical or ‘hard’ skills in areas experiencing shortages. Paired with a sturdy set of soft skills, having the strategic advantage of in-demand skills will give you:

• Better job security
• An easier time finding a job
• Higher salary

Skills shortages occur when there are not enough appropriately skilled workers in a field to fill the available positions. Companies compete with one another to hire and retain talent, which drives up salaries and benefits.

The Department of Jobs and Small Business researched skill shortages in Australia for 2017-2018 and found that occupations in areas like construction and skilled trades are currently experiencing the most shortages nationally. Here is a list of all occupations experiencing skills shortages in Australia right now.

• Medical and other health care services – 116,000 NEW JOBS
• Food & beverage services – 91,000 NEW JOBS
• Construction services – 77,000 NEW JOBS
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (EXCL COMPUTER SYSTEM DESIGN) – 72,000 NEW JOBS
• Social Assistance Services – 66,000 NEW JOBS
• Public Administration – 64,000 NEW JOBS
• Preschool and school education – 57,000 NEW JOBS
• Computer system design and related services – 54,000 NEW JOBS
• Adult, community and other education – 40,000 NEW JOBS
• Building construction – 39,000 NEW JOBS

Growth in these occupations means more job opportunities for young people, according to a report by the Department of Jobs and Small Business. “Growth in these occupations will provide opportunities for young people aged 15 to 24 years, particularly the new jobs projected for General Sales Assistants, with this occupation currently providing the largest number of jobs for young people.”

• Medical Diagnostic Radiographer
• Optometrist
• Hospital and Retail Pharmacist
• Physiotherapist
• Midwife – Recruitment difficulty
• Civil Engineering Professionals – Recruitment difficulty for structural engineering expertise and experience.
• Solicitor– Recruitment difficulty for solicitors with 5+ years of experience.

• Enrolled nurses at the highest recorded rate of demand, and still growing as the population grows and gets older. Registered nurses and midwives are not experiencing a shortage.
• Automotive trades workers (eg. automotive electricians, mechanics, panel beaters)
• Construction trades workers (except bricklaying)
• Civil engineers
• Engineering tradespersons (eg. welders, machinists, aircraft maintenance engineers)
• Medical diagnostic radiographers
• Sonographers
• Optometrists
• Physiotherapists

• Automotive electricians
• Mechanics
• Panel beaters
• Construction trades workers – record levels of construction activity in Victoria have driven up the demand for skilled workers, with 40% of employers unable to fill positions
• Civil engineers
• Engineering tradespersons (except fitters)
• Medical diagnostic radiographers
• Sonographers
• Optometrists
• Physiotherapists
• Midwives and registered nurses

• Automotive electricians
• Diesel motor mechanics
• Construction trades workers except for fibrous plasterers, carpenters and joiners
• Civil engineers
• Engineering tradespersons (except structural steel and welding trades workers)
• Sonographers
• Optometrists
• Physiotherapists

• Automotive trades
• Construction trades workers
• Engineers of all kinds – civil engineering professionals, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers
• Metal fabricators
• Welders
• Fitters
• Metal machinists
• Midwives (regional only)

• Automotive trades employers are finding it harder to fill vacancies than ever, particularly vehicle painters and panelbeaters.
• Civil engineering professionals
• Electrical engineers (regional areas only)
• Metal Fabricators
• Some health professionals, including physiotherapists, but especially medical diagnostic radiographers and sonographers, with employers only filling 13% of advertised vacancies.

• Automotive trades workers
• Construction trades workers
• Motor mechanics
• Panelbeaters
• Vehicle painters
• Metal fitters and machinists
• Medical Diagnostic Radiographers

• Vehicle painters, panel beaters in regional areas
• Sheetmetal trades workers
• Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers
• Bricklayers
• Carpenters and joiners
• Plumbers
• Medical Diagnostic Radiographers
• Hospital/Retail Pharmacists
• Occupational Therapists
• Physiotherapists

Construction trades are experiencing huge shortages, with vacancies filled at a record low. Strong growth in residential construction is driving demand in this sector.

In somewhat of a departure from the Australian government’s research, sources in the recruitment industry report that the technology industry is most in need of skilled professionals. The Talent international report ‘2018 State of the Market’ for Australia and New Zealand found that 76% of CEOs struggle to hire skilled professionals in technology.

The latest data from Hays found that specialists in finance and information technology are in high demand, with the following jobs topping the list:

• Financial business analysts
• Cyber-security professionals
• App developers
• Site managers
• Executive assistants
• Change analysts
• Social workers
• Civil construction professionals

Sources

• Australian Government Department of Jobs and Small Business: National, State and Territory Shill Shortage Information
• Hays Job Report 2018
• Talent International ‘2018 State of the Market Report and Salary Guide’ for Australia and New Zealand

Ready to make your next move?