It’s important to stay relevant in the job market, so SkillsTalk figured that it was time to finally give you an update on what industries are expected to grow in Australia this year. Whether you’re seeking a career change, have a desire to increase your employment prospects or simply have a knack for statistics in the job industry, this guide is aimed at anyone making a tough decision on whether they should take an online course to diversify their current skill set - or work in a different industry and pursue a fulfilling career than their current one.
The four industries expected to grow in 2019
- Health care and social assistance.
- Construction.
- Education and training.
- Professional, scientific and technical services.
According to Job Outlook, it’s expected that almost two in every three new jobs created, the roles will come from the four industries mentioned below. Over the next five years, it’s predicted that across these four industries alone, it will provide almost two-thirds of total employment growth for Australians.
In June last year, we saw a spike in Australia’s economic growth, increasing by 3.4%, with the ABC reporting it as “the fastest annual growth since September 2012”. While the Australian economy has been at a steady rate, it was documented last October that the unemployment rate in the country was at its lowest since early 2012, sticking to a low 5.1% rate.
With the economic growth remaining steady and unemployment rates being at its lowest in the last five years, these statistics show promising results for Australians wanting to make a move in their career path, which could help improve their own employability this year. We give you a list of the predicted job industries expected to grow in 2019.
1. Health care and social assistance.
KPMG, a professional services firm, notes that this industry is the “fastest growing employment sector” in the Australian economy. With an estimated headcount of 5 million baby boomers pushing into their 60s, it’s clear that Australia’s population is ageing, making the demand for health care and social assistance employees quite high.
Furthermore, with the implementation of the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), disability and aged care workers are sought-after to help individuals with complex health conditions. Rather than sticking to a state-by-state system, the NDIS was the first national scheme introduced for disability assistance in Australia.
Reflecting the NDIS 2017-18 Annual Report, 183 965 Australians benefited from the Scheme as 71% of participants aged 25 or over indicated that it assisted them with their ongoing daily activities. Without the support of disability and aged care workers in this sector, the results would have been far more different.
Many workers in the Health care and social assistance industry are women; and part-time, flexible, and casual positions in the field are common. Child carers and aged care workers need VET qualifications so to work in this industry, education is a must.
2. Construction.
It’s the Australian dream for a person to get into the property market, so seeing the growth in the number of construction sites in plan, especially to meet the needs of Australia’s demanding population for transport, makes construction the second fastest-growing industry in the country’s job market.
Currently, the Australian population is just shy of reaching 25 million and is increasing at an annual rate of 1.6%. According to Business Insider Australia, if the population growth is maintained in its current trajectory, it’s expected that the Australian population will reach a top of 41 million by 2050.
Mentioned in the 2018 Budget of the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities, the Australian Government will be investing more than $75 billion in national infrastructure projects over the next 10 years. Due to the major projects and initiatives in the national pipeline, this will create more employment opportunities in the industry.
Many of the workers in the construction industry are men and part-time jobs in the field is scarce. As construction jobs are physically demanding, many people leave when they get older. The main entry path in becoming a trades worker are apprenticeships and traineeships. Construction opens up opportunities for young people as gaining experience in the field can often lead them to training opportunities for project management and management roles. Upskilled has collaborated with a number of Australian Apprenticeship Centres and can help you organise your next apprenticeship and traineeship on eligible courses, given that you meet the eligibility checks.
3. Education and training.
According to the April 2018 Labour Market Research done by the Department of Jobs and Small Business, in NSW, primary, secondary and early childhood (pre-primary school) teacher vacancies were filled with little difficulty. However, teaching positions in early childhood continues to have the lowest employment rate in the education sector. Centres that were operating outside of schools like long day cares, experienced difficulty in recruitment because hours of service, entitlements and salary were different compared to centres operating on school grounds.
Early childhood teachers are currently in high demand due to the needs of early childhood education and care. In addition, there are new regulatory requirements under the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood and Care (NQF). This is in reflection of increased Government spending on early childhood education and care services.
To work in the education and training industry, most jobs require a university degree. However, doing a Certificate III (CHC30113) or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50113) is a great stepping stone for those wanting to kick off their career early and gain valuable experience as a child carer, moving on to a teaching or child care centre manager position later down the track.
4. Professional, scientific and technical services.
This industry is made up of different firms which provide varied services to other companies such as architecture, engineering, legal, accounting, consulting, research, advertising and computer systems design. This is the fifth largest industry for expected job growth and many businesses are hiring firms due to the demand of professionals who are highly-skilled and already have a university qualification.
With advances in information technology, this is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses. Since companies are increasingly looking for services from professional consultancy firms, individuals who have the adaptability in technological skills and can quickly identify the needs of a business are highly sought-after. It has also been identified that most companies want qualified employees in computer system design, management and consulting.
Jobs available in this sector are full-time and positions are generally located in Australian capital cities. There are fewer young people who work in this industry due to the fact that extra education is required for these jobs.=
Do you want to work in the industries above?
Jana Angeles
Jana Angeles is the Content Marketing Specialist at Upskilled. She regularly pens insightful articles on SkillsTalk about online education and career development. Outside of work, you can usually find her at her local record store or having brunch at a fancy cafe.