In July, Tasmania reported job ad growth of 26.8% year-on-year, three times that of Australia which grew by 8.7% in the same time period.
Tasmanian-based businesses are also reporting high business confidence and very favourable business conditions according to NAB’s July Business Confidence Index. The state recorded +19 business confidence index points in July, the strongest in Australia and ahead of larger states Queensland (+17 points) and Victoria (+16 points).
A number of factors have seen the state take on a new lease of life, including Tasmania’s recent tourism and hospitality boom, supported by key attractions such as the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), an improvement in traditional industries such as the dairy industry and more recently, population growth driven by overseas and interstate migration.
Booming industries
The industries that have driven job ad growth in Tasmania between 2014 and 2018 include Trades & Services (16%), Healthcare & Medical (14%) and Hospitality & Tourism (12%).
Kendra Banks, SEEK Managing Director ANZ says, “with Tasmania consistently outperforming the mainland, it appears that the larger population has been bolstered by economic development and investment that has driven business and job growth.
“Tassie’s investment in its competitive strengths such as tourism and agriculture, along with a renewed commitment to state infrastructure, has led to a surge in job ads across sectors such as Trades & Services, Medical & Healthcare and Hospitality & Tourism,” she says.
“The challenge for the state now is whether it can allocate enough jobs to this new, growing workforce.”
Vitals strong in Healthcare & Medical
Across Australia, the Healthcare & Medical industry is the biggest contributor to job ad growth; with the trend carrying across to Tasmania. The Tasmanian Healthcare & Medical industry saw the biggest growth at 42% year-on-year (July 2017 to July 2018). This is leagues ahead of the industry’s national job ad growth of just 12% for the same time period.
Within the Healthcare & Medical industry, Aged Care Nursing has seen the largest job ad growth in Tasmania in July 2018 compared to July 2017, accounting for 13% of jobs advertised in the industry. The state’s population has a median age of 42, making it home to the oldest population in Australia.
Banks says that due to Tasmania’s aging population there has been a change in the balance of job ads in the Healthcare & Medical industry.
“Job ads for aged care roles have been growing at a much faster rate the other healthcare and medical roles responding to the increase demand of the state’s residents.”
