Temporary and contract roles to make up 30 per cent of jobs

Almost a third of workers are forecast to be in these roles by 2023 — and it is not just tradies and Uber drivers making up the numbers.

Almost a third of workers are forecast to be contractors and temps by 2023 and it is not just tradies and Uber drivers making up the numbers.

Many professionals are in high demand for non-permanent roles as more companies move toward project-based work.

Research from recruiter Robert Half predicts a 70:30 split of permanent and temporary employees within the next four years.

Robert Half Australia director Andrew Morris says temporary work has grown over the past decade and is likely to continue.

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Expert 360 chief executive Bridget Loudon predicts growing demand for contract-based project managers and agile coaches. Picture: Supplied

He says different workers suit different types of employment.

“A long-term career contractor will often have a lot of commercial and business experience in different organisations,” he says.

“The more variable experience you have, the more valuable you will be contracting.

“You need to be financially stable, OK with change, excited about the challenge of working on a project with higher deliverables, and happy to go from company to company to feel satisfied in your career.”

Already about 24 per cent of the jobs listed on SEEK are contract, temporary, casual or vacation roles.

The most common sectors were ICT (information and communications technology) with about 6900 such roles on SEEK last week, followed by trades and services (4600), manufacturing and logistics (3800), healthcare and medical (3200), and hospitality and tourism (2300).

Expert360 reveals about 29 per cent of roles picked up through their software last year were in the information technology and telecommunications space.

Other common sectors were consulting, investing and banking (14 per cent) and retail and fashion (13 per cent).

IT and telecommunications is a major sector employing contract workers and temps. Picture: iStock

Expert360 chief executive Bridget Loudon predicts this year there will be growing demand for project managers and agile coaches, as more businesses adopt agile methodology for major projects, and for workers in compliance and risk, following the banking royal commission.

“We are seeing growth in the highly-skilled gig economy, driven by companies’ need for flexibility as well as individuals’ desire for flexibility,” she says.

“There is a shift in global preferences and a shift in what Millennials want from work.

“Our grandparents had one or maybe two jobs, our parents had three to four, but the average Millennial has had seven jobs by the time they are 30.”

The Demographics Group managing director Bernard Salt says many young people do not want to be committed to an employer or workplace.

“They want flexibility and freedom to work when they want to work,” he says.

“To some extent, contracting or consulting enables them to do that.

“It is not for everyone, though, some people still prefer the certainty of full-time work with an organisation doing traditional work.”

Olga Rudenko switched to contract work after 13 years full time. Picture: Tony Gough

Olga Rudenko spent 13 years in permanent, full-time work before leaving her corporate career to start a not-for-profit organisation.

She began picking up short-term contracts to support herself while setting up the foster care and adoption information service Adopt a Life.

“I did not want to go without the financial security of income,” she says.

Rudenko has been listed on Expert360 for about two years, offering her expertise in general business strategy, digital marketplaces and advising high-growth businesses and start ups.

“Freelance is a beautiful thing that allows you to turn the work on and off any time without committing to a long-term role,” she says.

“It allows you to plan time in your other life around those commitments.”

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Originally published as Temporary and contract roles to make up 30 per cent of jobs