1000 jobs in the Geelong region in September, Geelong Careers says
As the region emerges from COVID-19 lockdown, find out what industries are offering jobs to aid the economic recovery.
Geelong
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JOBS in the Geelong region have almost doubled in a month as roles in the charity sector, education and logistics lead a rebound.
New job advertisements on Geelong Careers, an online website that aggregates roles, have risen from 536 in August to 1070 in September.
Trade and construction (204 jobs) continues to be a strong sector for employment followed by health (166), education (88), government (54) and charity (71).
The numbers come as the unemployment rate across the City of Greater Geelong, and the Surf Coast and Golden Plains shires was at 4 per cent in August while youth unemployment was at 8 per cent.
About 200,000 people are of working age in the region according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Marianne Messer, who tracks jobs for Geelong Careers — part of the Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network — said the daily tally had risen steadily in September.
“In April there 692 jobs, in August 536; there’s been a downward trend and now there is a turnaround, and the numbers are starting to come back up again. Jobs are above the level of September 2019.”
In September this year businesses based in the suburbs of Geelong and the CBD were offering 745 jobs, followed by 47 in Colac, 25 in Torquay, 12 in Avalon and 19 in Waurn Ponds.
Ms Messer said the impact of COVID-19 could be seen in the September jobs with transport and logistics (41 jobs) double the level they were at in September last year, and hospitality jobs down by 50 compared to a year earlier.
“They are surge industries and (the level of jobs are) responsible for the environment we are in due to COVID-19.”
G-Force commercial operations general manager Cam Quinten said the 300 trainees and apprentices the organisation employs dropped by about 10 per cent during the height of the pandemic.
“We are starting to see more confidence in the market although that’s just starting to translate to numbers (of traineeships and apprenticeships) returning to where they used to be,” Mr Quinten said.
“We don’t think our numbers will be back to where they were (pre-COVID) until next year.
“We don’t think businesses will be placing people (into traineeships and apprenticeships) straight away. In the trades they might, but definitely not in the traineeships.”
“Most of our traineeships are in business administration. It takes a little while for businesses to prepare.”
Mr Quinten said recent demand for traineeships had come at Barwon Water, Geelong council and the Gordon.
“We would encourage anyone with interest in a traineeship or an apprenticeship to upload their details to the (G-Force) website.”
SEPTEMBER JOBS
Trades 204
Health 166
Education 88
Government 54
Charity 71
SEPTEMBER JOB LOCATIONS
Geelong 745
Colac 47
Torquay 25
Avalon 12
Waurn Ponds 19
Originally published as 1000 jobs in the Geelong region in September, Geelong Careers says