Surging demand for tradies as construction industry job ads soar – and customers pay more

Construction companies are crying out for more tradies but while that’s a good sign for SA’s jobs market, it could have an unwelcome effect on customers’ budgets.

Building and construction businesses are desperately seeking more tradies to keep up with surging demand, as the number of job advertisements for positions within the South Australian industry soar by up to 165 per cent, new figures reveal.

While figures from the federal government’s Labour Market Information Portal show there are 4754 more people directly employed in the SA construction industry since the start of the Covid pandemic, the sector is crying out for more tradies as demand increasingly outweighs supply in SA.

And with wage growth within the industry increasing by 13.4 per cent since pandemic began in March last year – the highest rise in the nation and almost double the average 7.1 per cent growth experienced across all industries – there is no better time to take up a trade, the Master Builders Association SA says.

A total of 27 occupations within the construction industry recorded above average increases in job vacancies in October, compared to the monthly average over the past 10 years.

The number of job advertisements seeking mechanical engineering draftspeople rose by 165.7 per cent, with 11 positions advertised last month compared with the 10-year average of four jobs a month.

Another big increase included a 337 per cent rise in demand for electricians, with 201 job advertisements in October compared with the monthly average of 85.

Gardeners are also in high demand with 61 adverts last month compared with the average of 28 ads, representing a 119 per cent increase.

About double the amount of carpenters and joiners, plumbers, construction managers, civil engineering professions and airconditioning and refrigeration mechanics were also sought.

MOSSOP Construction + Interiors site manager John Foster on an Adelaide building site. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“Whilst job vacancies are good on one level as they show the industry is busy, the impact of a high level of jobs vacancies is that jobs can take longer and cost more,” Master Builders Association SA chief executive Will Frogley said.

“For example if a site manager leaves, and it takes a while to find another one, the project stalls, similarly if you can’t find enough brickies.”

Mr Frogley said the construction boom, propelled by the federal government’s HomeBuilder grant, has also highlighted the need to build a stronger supply of skilled labour.

He said targeted incentives to encourage more people to take up a trade, like bricklaying which suffers from well-entrenched workers shortages, would help ease the pressure.

“There also needs to be more encouragement in schools for young women to enter the industry as right now we are barely tapping into 50 per cent of our potential workforce,” Mr Frogley said.

Housing Industry Association SA executive director Stephen Knight agreed there was a “desperate shortage of skilled trades” in SA at the moment.

But he said this meant it was “boom time” for prospective apprentices, especially those finishing school.

“Lots of businesses are looking for apprentices,” he said.

Mossop Construction + Interiors trainee site manager John Foster said the company was looking to hire more tradies as soon as possible to keep up with demand.

“Everybody is in the same boat,” he said.