Professionals and tradespeople across the design and construction sector in Australia are in massive demand as the latest data shows that job vacancies for many disciplines are at or above pre-COVID levels.

Compiled by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Skills and Employment, the data shows that job vacancies for design and construction professionals continued their upward trajectory in July.

On the professional side of the equation, July vacancies for construction managers have now recovered to levels seen two years ago in July 2019 (the most recent directly comparable month which was not distorted by COVID) – albeit with vacancy levels remaining below those seen at the height of the multi-residential construction boom in 2017 and 2018.

Meanwhile, vacancies for civil engineers, electrical engineers, interior designers and urban and regional planners are at their highest level in nearly three years whilst those for mining engineers and industrial/mechanical/production engineers are at their highest levels on record since the mining boom.

For tradespeople, demand is even stronger.

Vacancies for electricians and plumbers are now at their highest level since the Department started collecting vacancy data in 2006.

Meanwhile, vacancies for carpenters sit at near-record highs and those for painting trades workers remain at levels not seen since post-GFC stimulus in 2010.

Simon Bristow, Senior Regional Director of recruiting experts Hays Construction, says demand is being driven by strong activity in several areas.

Despite recent lockdowns, he says the pipeline of work is likely to remain strong.

“The employment market in design and construction is very active, thanks to stimulus projects driving civil and residential activity, an increase in home renovations and also activity in commercial construction,” Bristow said.

“The demand for skilled professionals outweighs supply and there’s a genuine skills shortage (mirrored you could say by a material/timber shortage). The demand means that competition for candidates is trending up.

“While lockdown restrictions do impact construction activity, there is still a substantial pipeline of work to ensure staffing demand remains high.”

According to Bristow, workers are in demand across several areas.

On the professional side:

• Civil designers with experience in structural and hydraulics engineering are in high demand. Civil designers with experience in residential subdivisions are also in demand in response to the residential boom. Employers require candidates with experience using relevant software packages, especially Civil 3D and 12d, ideally coupled.
• Within commercial construction, demand is high for contract administrators with previous experience. Ideally, employers want a degree-qualified candidate, however those who possess both a tertiary qualification and a trade qualification are highly regarded.
• Within civil construction, project engineers with a civil engineering degree and previous experience working as an Engineer in the construction of projects to the required specifications are needed. With a strong pipeline of projects, and both state and federal government investment, demand is being driven up across the country for candidates in a market that is already experiencing skills shortages.
• Hays is also seeing high demand for estimators with broad experience in residential and civil construction. Hays expects a pickup in multi-residential construction to further add to staffing demand.
• Within the architecture sector, Bristow says there is huge demand for urban and town Planners with a background in large-scale planning for medium to high density residential developments and public space development. Both public and private sector experience is sought, although demand is higher for candidates with a strong understanding of local government standards and requirements. Experience using Revit is preferred.
• Finally, Hays also reports seeing demand for mine engineers. To be successful, candidates must be degree qualified with at least five or more years of previous mining experience. Underground operations have higher staffing needs than surface operations due to strong gold prices and a surge in battery mineral commodities (copper, nickel and lithium), which are generally underground operations.

Turning to trades, Bristow says demand for qualified people is ‘huge’ across the board. This is especially the case in the residential sector.

He says carpenters top the list of skills in demand.

Those with exposure to commercial builds and fitouts are highly regarded, as are those who can also formwork and concrete, he says.

With project deadlines continuing to tighten, Bristow says demand exceeds supply.

Asked how employers can plan their workforce requirements and attract and retain the staff they need, Bristow says several strategies are available.

To plan staffing requirements, employers should examine both their project pipeline and their workforce needs. When doing this, it is important to consider both permanent and temporary requirements.

One they have done this, potential solutions to fill any gaps could include upskilling and/or retraining existing workers or working with recruiters to tap into potential talent pools.

When selecting potential candidates, Bristow says employers should distinguish between any skills, abilities and attributes which are genuinely needed in order to perform the role from those which are beneficial but not essential.

To attract and retain staff, Bristow urges employers to bear in mind that today’s jobseekers look for roles which offer security of ongoing work. In this regard, it is important for them to communicate their project pipeline and market reputation to prospective candidates.

Also important is the need to offer flexibility and to demonstrate to prospective candidates how this works within your organisation. This is necessary as a significant number of professionals now expect to operate in a hybrid model and anticipate the ability to perform some work from home. It is especially critical for senior level candidates – many of whom seek a balance between their working lives and their private lives.

For candidates, Bristow says now is the ideal time for those on the professional side of the industry to consider their long-term career goals.

He says the variety of roles available provide opportunities to work with recruiters to find positions which offer the best opportunities to advance their career.

“But (strong) demand doesn’t mean you can sit back and not put in the work to find the right job,” Bristow cautions.

“To secure a good job, you still need to present a strong CV and use your LinkedIn profile to bring your skills to life. Know how to sell yourself in an interview and show a potential employer how you could add value. Practice your unique selling points and be able to describe how your last or current job equips you for this one.  Be realistic in your salary expectations.”

As for tradespeople, Bristow says those who are new to the sector need to be prepared to work their way up from entry-level.

Whilst there are opportunities to progress, candidates still need to demonstrate that they have the skills, aptitude and capabilities before they can expect to advance to more senior and higher paying roles.

Those seeking new roles should ensure that their resumé presents them in the best possible light.

“Like professionals, while trades roles are available, you need to handle your job search in the right way – this can make the difference between making it through to the registration stage or not,” Bristow says.

“So, keep your CV up-to-date by adding your most recent job and day-to-day tasks.

“Include project-specific experience, the companies you worked for and the projects you worked on. List what tasks you undertook. For example, if you are a Formwork Carpenter list whether you were forming stairs, lift shafts, etc.

“List all tools you can confidently use, the machines you have operated and/or industry tickets.”