NSW employers desperate for staff, ‘phenomenal’ job ad data shows

Cafe owner Karen Williams would like to expand if she could find good staff, but she says some people don’t take the chance at employment seriously.

NSW employers are crying out for workers like nowhere else in the nation.

New data from the National Skills Commission that carves Australia into 37 parts puts Dubbo and western NSW at no.1 for job advertisement growth compared to before Covid-19, with a surge of 120 per cent, followed by the Southern Highlands and Snowy region, up 104 per cent.

The top four areas of Australia for increased vacancies are all in this state, with the Riverina and Murray third at 97 per cent, then Tamworth and Northwest NSW, which is 89 per cent ahead versus pre-pandemic levels.

In total, there are 3000 more jobs available across the four than prior to the coronavirus.

Statewide, there are nearly 14,000 extra roles; the biggest growth in demand has been for labourers, up 109 per cent, and community workers (91 per cent).

Across the nation, vacancies are at their highest level in 12 years.

Job ads growth across Australia compared to pre-pandemic levels. Source: National Skills Commission

Commonwealth Bank chief economist Gareth Aird said the figures were “phenomenal.”

“And I don’t use those kinds of words lightly,” Mr Aird said.

The job ad tsunami would eventually push up wages, he added, because it gave employees more bargaining power.

“When you see vacancies at these levels, that’s going to mean the labour market will keep tightening pretty quickly and higher pay should start to follow,” Mr Aird said.

CommBank expects wages growth to reach three per cent by the first half of 2023.

This was a good thing, Mr Aird said, because general inflation was likely to be lower.

Commonwealth Bank chief economist Gareth Aird

When wages rise faster than general prices, living standards improve.

Southern Highlands Chamber of Commerce president chairman Steve Horton said “nearly every restaurant and cafe in this area can’t get staff.

“My personal belief is that a lot of people are getting good money on JobSeeker, so why would they go to work,” Mr Horton said.

Southern Highlands cafe owner Karen Williams said she would like to open earlier, as well as on Friday and Saturday nights — if she could find good staff.

Mrs Williams, who runs the Courtyard Cafe at Berrima, said she paid above-award wages and was happy to take people who had no experience.

She wants to put on an apprentice chef, as well as extra wait staff.

“But some people turn up for an interview and they look like they are stoned,” Mrs Williams said. “Is it too easy to stay at home?”

Courtyard Cafe owner Karen Williams (right) with employee Natassja Allen. Picture: Jonathan Ng

She can’t even get school students for weekend work.

Last week The Daily Telegraph revealed that the state’s restaurateurs were having to turn away customers while farmers were watching their crops wither because they couldn’t find Australians willing to work.

National Skills Commission’s vacancy data amalgamates ads from Seek, Careerone and Australian JobSearch, removing duplicates.