The final year of the decade delivered mixed results for the job market. While there was an overall job ad decline of 7.3% year-on-year, many industries recorded solid growth on SEEK. Which sectors led the way in 2019 and where did we see the greatest falls?
Top 3 performers
The Community Service & Development sector came out in front with 8.7% year-on-year growth. NAB Economist Kaixin Owyong says this is due to momentum in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
“There is significant spending across the industry due to the NDIS, and this is creating demand for talent,” she says.
The Healthcare & Medical industry was in second place with year-on-year growth of 7.8%. “The increase is largely due to greater demands of the growing and aging population,” says Owyong.
The Mining, Resources & Energy industry came in third place with a 4.5% increase in opportunities on SEEK compared to 2018. “The growth in job ads is in line with the upturn in the mining industry,” says Owyong.
Where was the biggest decline?
The Design & Architecture industry recorded the greatest decline for 2019 with 23.2% fewer job ads year-on-year. This was followed by Construction, which saw a 17.5% decline.
“The slowdown in the housing market last year had an impact on both architecture and construction,” says Owyong. “The good news for these industries is that the market is almost back to its peak.”
Advertising, Arts & Media recorded a decline of 17.2% year-on-year. Owyong says the industry felt the impact of weaker consumer spending in 2019, which contributed to its slip in job ads.
Explore the top performing roles in your industry
How tough was the competition for talent in your industry? Select an industry to reveal the three roles that saw the highest growth or smallest decline in advertised jobs year-on-year.
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Accounting |
Company Secretaries |
19.1% |
2 |
Accounting |
Insolvency & Corporate Recovery |
19.1% |
3 |
Accounting |
Audit - External |
14.4% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Administration & Office Support |
Records Management & Document Control |
-0.2% |
2 |
Administration & Office Support |
Administrative Assistants |
-10.2% |
3 |
Administration & Office Support |
Office Management |
-11.4% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Advertising, Arts & Media |
Media Strategy, Planning & Buying |
14.5% |
2 |
Advertising, Arts & Media |
Performing Arts |
-5.6% |
3 |
Advertising, Arts & Media |
Journalism & Writing |
-12.9% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Banking & Financial Services |
Compliance & Risk |
18.0% |
2 |
Banking & Financial Services |
Settlements |
-2.8% |
3 |
Banking & Financial Services |
Banking - Corporate & Institutional |
-3.0% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Call Centre & Customer Service |
Collections |
13.0% |
2 |
Call Centre & Customer Service |
Customer Service - Call Centre |
-11.3% |
3 |
Call Centre & Customer Service |
Customer Service - Customer Facing |
-12.0% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Construction |
Estimating |
-3.2% |
2 |
Construction |
Health, Safety & Environment |
-6.9% |
3 |
Construction |
Project Management |
-13.5% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Consulting & Strategy |
Strategy & Planning |
4.5% |
2 |
Consulting & Strategy |
Corporate Development |
1.5% |
3 |
Consulting & Strategy |
Management & Change Consulting |
-2.1% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Engineering |
Aerospace Engineering |
24.5% |
2 |
Engineering |
Systems Engineering |
5.3% |
3 |
Engineering |
Water & Waste Engineering |
3.6% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Farming, Animals & Conservation |
Fishing & Aquaculture |
8.9% |
2 |
Farming, Animals & Conservation |
Farm Labour |
8.4% |
3 |
Farming, Animals & Conservation |
Veterinary Services & Animal Welfare |
5.6% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Healthcare & Medical |
Speech Therapy |
53.8% |
2 |
Healthcare & Medical |
Residents & Registrars |
37.2% |
3 |
Healthcare & Medical |
Nursing - Aged Care |
21.9% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Hospitality & Tourism |
Waiting Staff |
8.2% |
2 |
Hospitality & Tourism |
Kitchen & Sandwich Hands |
6.9% |
3 |
Hospitality & Tourism |
Bar & Beverage Staff |
5.5% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Human Resources & Recruitment |
Occupational Health & Safety |
3.3% |
2 |
Human Resources & Recruitment |
Industrial & Employee Relations |
2.5% |
3 |
Human Resources & Recruitment |
Remuneration & Benefits |
1.2% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Information & Communication Technology |
Engineering - Software |
18.6% |
2 |
Information & Communication Technology |
Computer Operators |
4.4% |
3 |
Information & Communication Technology |
Product Management & Development |
4.2% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Insurance & Superannuation |
Risk Consulting |
54.1% |
2 |
Insurance & Superannuation |
Actuarial |
16.9% |
3 |
Insurance & Superannuation |
Brokerage |
2.9% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Legal |
Tax Law |
25.5% |
2 |
Legal |
Generalists - In-house |
12.0% |
3 |
Legal |
Generalists - Law Firm |
9.6% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics |
Quality Assurance & Control |
-2.1% |
2 |
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics |
Rail & Maritime Transport |
-5.1% |
3 |
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics |
Purchasing, Procurement & Inventory |
-7.7% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Marketing & Communications |
Trade Marketing |
4.1% |
2 |
Marketing & Communications |
Event Management |
3.7% |
3 |
Marketing & Communications |
Marketing Communications |
0.6% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Mining, Resources & Energy |
Natural Resources & Water |
24.8% |
2 |
Mining, Resources & Energy |
Health, Safety & Environment |
20.9% |
3 |
Mining, Resources & Energy |
Oil & Gas - Operations |
15.8% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Real Estate & Property |
Valuation |
-0.7% |
2 |
Real Estate & Property |
Residential Leasing & Property Management |
-7.1% |
3 |
Real Estate & Property |
Analysts |
-9.3% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Retail & Consumer Products |
Planning |
-7.7% |
2 |
Retail & Consumer Products |
Management - Store |
-9.3% |
3 |
Retail & Consumer Products |
Merchandisers |
-12.9% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Sales |
New Business Development |
-8.1% |
2 |
Sales |
Account & Relationship Management |
-11.4% |
3 |
Sales |
Sales Coordinators |
-15.3% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Science & Technology |
Quality Assurance & Control |
14.9% |
2 |
Science & Technology |
Environmental, Earth & Geosciences |
14.6% |
3 |
Science & Technology |
Chemistry & Physics |
5.9% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Sport & Recreation |
Management |
6.9% |
2 |
Sport & Recreation |
Coaching & Instruction |
2.1% |
3 |
Sport & Recreation |
Fitness & Personal Training |
-4.7% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Trades & Services |
Gardening & Landscaping |
2.3% |
2 |
Trades & Services |
Butchers |
0.1% |
3 |
Trades & Services |
Security Services |
0.0% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Design & Architecture |
Landscape Architecture |
3.5% |
2 |
Design & Architecture |
Fashion & Textile Design |
-4.0% |
3 |
Design & Architecture |
Web & Interaction Design |
-13.9% |
RANK |
INDUSTRY |
JOB |
JOB AD GROWTH % |
1 |
Research & Fellowships |
34.8% |
$91,371 |
2 |
Student Services |
31.3% |
$73,057 |
3 |
Teaching - Vocational |
27.0% |
$83,387 |