The ICT sector offered one of the highest number of job opportunities of any business and industry sector in October on the back of what has been described as a boom in Australia’s economy, according to the latest jobs advertising report from recruitment firm SEEK.
According to the report, October saw the largest rate of annual job ad growth this year across all sectors, with ICT, along with Healthcare & Medical and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics industries and mining resources and energy showing strong growth.
In fact, new job advertising growth across the ICT sector in October this year compared to 2016 was at 19%, while the top performing sector — mining resources and energy — saw a 59% increase in job ads for October over the corresponding period last year.
SEEK says Christmas has come early for jobseekers, with new jobs ads on its website up by a whopping 16.1% in October, when compared to the same period last year.
Michael Ilczynski, managing director for SEEK Australia and New Zealand, said October data had revealed that hirers are “keen to secure new employees ahead of the busy festive season and New Year”.
{loadposition peter}“Advertising on SEEK is booming, this October we saw the largest rate of annual job ad growth this year.
“Fuelling this advertising uplift was positive growth across 28 of the 29 industries on SEEK this October.
“Nationally, for a second consecutive month, the Trades & Services industry offered the most job opportunities on SEEK, followed by Information & Communications Technology [ICT], Healthcare & Medical and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics industries.”
And jobs advertised on SEEK in October for the top advertising Trades & Services industry, commanded an average annual salary of $64,696, SEEK says.
“In terms of growth, while off a low base, the Mining, Resources & Energy sector, for the 10th month in a row, recorded the largest annual growth of all industries on SEEK, up 59% y/y,” Ilczynski said.
SEEK also reports that strong annual advertising growth was recorded across all states and territories in October.
“In our country’s largest labour markets of New South Wales and Victoria, job ads were up 12.4% y/y and 18% y/y respectively. ICT was the top advertising industry in both states, followed by Trades & Services,” said Ilczynski.
“While off a lower base, South Australia recoded the largest annual growth of all states and territories, up 24.5% y/y. Trades & Services offered the most job opportunities across the state, with job ads for the industry up by a solid 62% y/y.”
“The Western Australian labour market is still recovering, but recorded an impressive 19.2% y/y growth this October, with Trades & Services and Mining, Resources & Energy, offering the most job opportunities across the state.”
In other states and territories, job ads were up, including:
• 21.2% y/y in the Northern Territory
• 18.9% y/y in Queensland
• 14.9% y/y in Tasmania
• 12.7% y/y in the Australian Capital Territory
In the Real Estate and Property sector, new job ads on SEEK rose 5% y/y from August to October this year, when compared to the same months in 2016.
And the fields across the industry offering the most jobs on SEEK from August to October this year were:
1. Residential Leasing & Property Management
2. Residential Sales Administration
3. Body Corporate & Facilities Management
“The eastern seaboard states of NSW and Victoria offered the most job opportunities for Real Estate & Property professionals this August to October, which mirrors where demand is greatest for property,” Ilczynski said.
“Over the three years to October 2017, we’ve seen dwelling prices rise more than 20% across Sydney and Melbourne.
“However, the property market has started to cool due to financial regulators clamping down on investment lending, plus there has been a number of additional taxes imposed by state governments on foreign buyers, and signs of greater restrictions on outbound Chinese investment in offshore property buying.
“Even so, the level of job ads are travelling at a higher level than the same period last year [August to October], and average advertised salary across the Real Estate & Property industry for the August to October period is up by 5.4 per cent y/y to $74,835.”
Graphic: courtesy Seek