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Skilled Worker Shortages | What You Need To Know
11th January 2021
Businesses are having difficulty in finding staff with their required skills.
Even though the unemployment rates are at a national high as a consequence of COVID-19 and the ensuing recession, one in five businesses have reported that they are struggling to find the appropriate employee for a skilled role.
The latest survey undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the repercussions of COVID-19 on business also showed that two in three of medium/large recruitment companies plan to employ new staff in the first quarter of 2021.
Skilled Tradies, Hospitality Workers and Management and Leadership Professionals are amongst the most in demand
ABS head of industry statistics John Shepherd explained ‘Businesses reported having difficulty finding suitably skilled tradespersons, hospitality workers and STEM professionals."
"Other in-demand jobs included labourers, drivers and managers."
Almost one in six businesses reported that, based on current operations, they did not have a sufficient number of employees.
"With the jobless rate at seven per cent nationally in October, it is hard to believe that Aussie businesses are experiencing a skills shortage," Commonwealth Securities senior economist Ryan Felsman said.
But Felsman warned this skilled worker shortage could stunt the recovery of our employment rates across the country.
This prediction comes as economist’s focus on the 40,000 increase in the amount of job seekers who found employment during the month of November, as recruitment rates slow down after an unexpected rise of 178,800 in October. With this, the unemployment rates remain stagnant at 7%, just short of the 22-year high of 7.5% during June.
Nevertheless, it is still a step in the right direction; and if anything, these findings encourage individuals to upskill and broaden their professional horizons to become more attractive within the competitive hiring market.
Written by Sophie Cunningham; 11th January 2021
