Job ad levels see some improvement
Kendra Banks, Managing Director SEEK ANZ says while job ad numbers are lower than they were a year ago, the decline is less than in previous months.
“We are seeing a slight improvement in the market with the rate of job ad decline moderating, with September at -7.4% compared to August, which was -8.6%,” Banks says.
In addition, job ad volumes grew in The Australian Capital Territory, up 9.5% on last year, while Western Australia saw a 1.6% lift followed by Tasmania where job ads are up 1.4% compared to 12 months ago. Job ads were in decline in the remaining states and territories.
Health and community services roles lead growth
Across the industries, Community Services & Development continues to lead the charge for job ad growth while health-related roles are also in demand.
“Month to month we continue to see growth come from the large employing sectors of Community Services & Development, which has seen a jump from 13% year on year in August to 18.5% in September. Over the same period Healthcare & Medical jumped from 4.6% to 7.4%,” Banks says.
“The employment demand across a wide range of roles within social services, particularly children and aged care support is a common theme. Specific roles include Aged & Disability Support, Childcare and Secondary teaching and Aged Care Nurses.”
SEEK Employment Analyst Adama Abanteriba says the Community Services & Development sector has consistently seen job ad growth in recent months, marking a shift from the same period last year where Mining, Resources & Energy was the number one growing industry.
“Even though job ads in the mining sector are still positive now, they’re growing at a lower rate and we’re seeing Community Services & Development come to the fore. There has been a passing of the baton,” Abanteriba says.
Meanwhile, Design & Architecture, Construction and Real Estate & Property are among sectors where job ads are in decline.
Looking at the Real Estate & Property sector, Abanteriba says though the property market is showing signs of recovery, the limited available stock means real estate roles may not see a lift just yet.
“However, we may see a lift in jobs for valuation as homeowners could want to see what their properties are worth now that prices have recovered. Those roles will be more in demand, and we’re starting to see that at the moment.”
Candidate availability up
Compared to a year ago, candidate availability continues to be at elevated levels while job ads are down.
“What this suggests is that candidates that are looking for work are operating in a more challenging environment and facing more competition,” Abanteriba explains.
“If employers are getting more applications than they normally would, it can make the shortlisting process more difficult. SEEK offers tools for employers to easily track and manage candidates and review applications to help them take control of their hiring process.”
Salary up with highest average in the west
Nationally, the average advertised salary is $88,652 which is up 2.5% compared to 12 months ago. All states are showing an increase in salary, while Western Australia is home to the highest average, $90,930, closely followed by NSW at $90,422.
The Mining, Resources & Energy and Engineering sectors contribute to this higher average in WA, where in NSW Construction contributes to the average alongside Mining, Resources & Energy.
