According to the latest quarterly survey by Master Builders Australia, the commercial construction industry has hit a new five-year high. The industry body’s Chief Economist, Peter Jones, said this represents the industry fully recovering from the global financial crisis and reaching it’s highest point since the 2009 crash.
The prospects of construction apprenticeships in Queensland also reached new heights this month, as the Housing Industry Association announced that the state was the strongest in Australia for residential building work.
So, with commercial and residential building continuing to rise, what does this mean for construction apprenticeships and labour jobs. Master Builders Australia’s latest National Survey of Building and Construction tells all.
Construction jobs and apprenticeships
The survey of 455 Master Builders association members asked employers their intentions in the September quarter and beyond. Almost one-quarter (22.9 per cent) of them said they were intending to take on new apprentices over the next six months.
Among these new entry-level positions, the employment index across the construction sector rose to 50.1, increasing significantly from 47.1 in the last quarter, as more employers seek new workers to meet their growing business demands.
As construction continues its meteoric rise, it helps to look beyond the short-term growth and see what the future holds. Apprentices for example, will want to know that the industry in which they chose to learn their trade will continue to provide job security long after their training finishes.
Peter Jones from Master Builders said that the latest report gives a good forecast for future employment and security.
“For the second consecutive quarter the Survey shows improvement in the current business conditions of commercial builders while the index measuring expectations of future activity also rose sharply,” he explained.
Employers looking for apprentices
This quarter’s survey found employers struggling to find workers and apprentices to meet the construction demand. In fact, 10 out of the 16 jobs included in the survey were more difficult to source for employers this quarter.
In particular, employers found it difficult to recruit bricklayers, concretors, carpenters, steel fixers, scaffolders and labourers. While tilers and plastic fixers improved, they are areas where recruiters experienced difficulties.
This suggests that apprentices, with more opportunities out there, can be doing more to put themselves in front of employers and recommend themselves for the latest jobs.
BUSY at Work’s extensive database of job opportunities allows jobseekers to search and apply to a wide range of apprenticeships in Queensland, with our intuitive search tool able to help find the right apprenticeship for you.
By Leanne de Toerkenczy, Public Relations Coordinator
