Air conditioning and refrigeration tradespeople, solar electricians and heavy diesel mechanics are among a range of trade related workers whose skills are in demand across Australia notwithstanding the current slowdown in building activity, the latest report suggests.

In its Jobs Report for January to June, recruitment firm Hays identified 27 types of trades or labour related workers whose skills are likely to be in demand over the first half of this year.

Amongst the main areas:

  • There is demand for air-conditioning and refrigeration tradespeople with installation experience. A shortage of candidates has led to an imbalance in the supply and demand of workers.
  • There is a need for solar electricians to work on a growing number of solar projects. Along with this is a general shortage of electricians in metropolitan areas as some have left metropolitan construction projects and relocated to rural areas to work on solar projects. Electricians with maintenance experience are particularly in demand.
  • Heavy diesel mechanics are needed. With many candidates preferring FIFO roles that offer higher rates, a shortage of candidates for civil projects has emerged. Since these projects require a large amount of plant and equipment, demand will remain high for candidates to perform regular maintenance.
  • Machine operators are in growing demand to work on civil and resources/mining infrastructure projects. This includes loader and excavator operators, experienced final trim excavator operators with deep sewer experience and final trim loader operators.
  • Pipelayers with experience in working on subdivision projects are needed.

The latest report comes as overall demand for tradespeople has waned amid a slowdown in building activity.

Over the year to December 2019, data from the Department of Small Business Jobs indicates that the number of vacancies for architectural, building and surveying technicians dropped from 1,878 in December 2018 to 1,640 in December last year.

Over that same time, vacancies for electricians, carpenters/joiners, and plumbers have fallen from 1,956, 853 and 705 to 1,761, 619 and 640 respectively.

In its report, Hays advises new entrants to work their way up from entry level.

On CVs, it says job seekers should include specific details not only of the companies and projects on which they have worked but also the tasks they have undertaken, any machines they have operated and any tickets, certifications or licences which they hold.

Formwork carpenters, for instance, should list whether they were forming stairs, lift shafts or anything else.

Labourers should go beyond listing ‘site labouring’ and describe tools they can confidently use, trades they have assisted and certification which the possess (Alimak, EWP, Spotters etc.).