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SEEK's 2020 Trends Report predicts a positive year for construction-related jobs driven by an increase in large infrastructure projects.
As 2019 comes to an end, employment platform SEEK has released its 2020 Trends Report, which examines employment and salary patterns from over the year to predict major near-future changes to the Australian job market.
Of the four key trends highlighted in the report, perhaps the most encouraging is an expected boost in construction and construction-related jobs over the coming year.
Falling house prices kept building construction down as the industry watched work rates drop month-on-month and job ads – especially those targeting more senior employees – decrease by 17.3 percent from November 2018. The sector isn't expected to hit its low point until mid-2020, but for those with the right skills, opportunity will be found elsewhere.
State governments, especially in New South Wales and Victoria, are increasing investment in public infrastructure projects such as the $12 billion Sydney Metro, $11 billion Melbourne Metro Tunnel and $16 billion WestConnex. It's a potential turning point for construction workers, and not just those already living and working in the relevant areas. SEEK's data shows that job candidates are proving highly mobile:
- In Sydney, 31.5 percent of candidates are from regional, interstate or international locations
- Melbourne sees 29.5 of applications come from Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and overseas, with some regional interest, and
- Nearly half the applications for work in Brisbane originate from outside the city. Overall, 42.2 percent of applications come from the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, regional areas and overseas.
"These large infrastructure projects will mean there is likely to be plenty of opportunity for skilled workers to seek employment in the new year, as sectors such as trades and services, construction, manufacturing, transport and logistics benefit from the development of these important projects," says Kendra Banks, managing director for SEEK in Australia and New Zealand.
"The federal government’s decision to bring forward $3.8 billion in infrastructure spending, including $1.8 billion over the next 18 months, means labour demand will be high. This will be a welcome shift for sectors like construction, which saw job ad growth hit major lows in April 2019, down 23.2 percent in comparison to the year before."
Image: Randy Fath via Unsplash.com