Katie Roberts Career Consulting

According to recent SEEK figures, jobs advertised in January 2015 were up 10.9 per cent from January 2014. That trend has continued over the past few months, with certain sectors experiencing significantly higher growth than others. There are trends driving growth in specific areas with many commentators predicting shortages in particular niche areas.

Many people are looking for a change in roles right now, but what’s driving job growth and where should we be looking? While many industries are experiencing growth and offering great employment opportunities, there are a few stand outs affected by shortages. These are healthcare, construction, education, information technology (IT), and digital marketing. A recent Hays report highlighted a skills shortage focused around particular job functions with the belief that demand for these skills in Australia will drive an exceedingly tight labour market for anyone with these niche, highly specialised skills.

In short, some of the areas driving growth in 2015 include:

Healthcare: There appears to be a healthy outlook for candidates seeking roles in the medical and healthcare industry. Based on SEEK’s latest job ad figures, new jobs in this sector rose 14 percent nationally year on year to March 2015. This is no surprise as our population ages and more advanced medical treatment technologies place pressure on the healthcare system. Registered nurses will be especially in demand.

Marketing: The evolution of digital marketing is transforming organisations at a rapid pace and marketing and IT teams are converging. Candidates with experience in social media are in demand as employers look to drive further consumer brand engagement in innovative ways. The increasing importance of digital and mobile means that companies are moving beyond just websites that are optimised for mobile use, to needing candidates who can provide full mobile optimisation integrated with strong social media marketing strategy. Large organisations are also looking for candidates who can analyse online activity to better understand how consumers respond to digital marketing efforts.

Construction: 2015 is a great time to be in the building trade, with the construction industry expected to grow significantly over the next few years. Right now, an increase in development application approvals is already driving demand across the industry with additional need for architects (especially with retail expertise), engineers, contract administrators and statutory planners – especially those who will work on a contract basis. Reliable and hardworking labourers are always in demand and construction companies also report the need for multi-ticketed Excavator Operators with stable backgrounds.

Education: A very high demand for childcare in Australia is creating a shortage of early childhood teachers. Growth is also clear across the broader education system as our population grows and the need for additional teachers across multiple disciplines increases. In addition, the rising number of parents setting their children up for optimum academic success is creating additional need for tutors.

Information Technology: A shortage of senior business analysts with particular domain and subject matter knowledge; solid front end developers – especially candidates with responsive web or App development experience (IOS and Android); as well as Cloud specialists. The increasing importance of digital and mobile marketing previously mentioned is also driving demand and creating shortages. The skills required are broad and encompass the entire digital marketing spectrum including full mobile optimisation and responsive website and/or App development.

The shortage of relevant candidates in certain areas combined with the increasing use of digital recruitment and a focus on passive candidates to provide these highly specialised skills also means that candidates need to have a strong online profile and brand.

Would you like help understanding more about what’s driving job growth? Would you like help establishing your online presence or putting together a strong job search strategy? If so, click here for our LinkedIn Writing or Coaching Services, or check out our Job Search Coaching Service.