Northern Beaches: Long term unemployed skyrockets, hundreds of jobs available
Shocking figures reveal the number of people who have been unemployed for more than three months has shot up in 2020. But there’s good news, with hundreds of jobs available at the moment. See which industries need workers in your area.
Manly
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The number of people on the northern beaches who have been out of work for more than three months is five times higher than in 2019.
The latest statistics show that 900 people were unemployed for between three months and 52 weeks in 2019, but that figures has skyrocketed to 4800 in 2020.
But there is good news, with Adzuna job agency statistics revealing there are currently 445 jobs available on the peninsula.
The agency says it has 273 jobs listed in the Manly area, 63 in Warringah and 109 in Pittwater.
Trade and construction make up the largest percentage of jobs, with healthcare and nursing next.
The top industries seeking workers in Manly in order are: trade and construction; healthcare and nursing; hospitality and catering; teaching; and retail.
Warringah mostly has healthcare and nursing job vacancies; with retail second, followed by construction; logistics and warehouse, and then hospitality and catering.
Meanwhile, Pittwater vacancies are in trade and construction; healthcare and nursing; retail; teaching; hospitality and catering; and sales.
It comes as the figures reveal it is women on the peninsula who are the biggest losers of the economic fallout caused by COVID.
The number of men who have lost their jobs has increased from 3.54 per cent in 2019 to 4.34 per cent in 2020, while the number of women out of work has jumped from 2.24 per cent to 4.59 per cent.
Independent federal Warringah MP Zali Steggall told the Manly Daily the Federal Government had to do more.
“Women have done the bulk of the frontline work and been hardest hit by COVID-19 job losses,” she said.
“I have been calling on the Federal Government to better support female dominated industries such as childcare and the arts.
“It was disappointing that this week’s Federal Budget did not support women adequately, and instead further propped up male dominated industries, some of which have already had specific packages like the Home builder program.”
Travel is another industry that is female heavy and has not had any federal support.
Gil McLachlan revealed this week he had let go of 20 of his 26 staff, many of which were highly skilled working mums.
But while the unemployment figures are up for both sexes, surprisingly, a peninsula-based job agency says finding people to fill the roles has been difficult recently.
Julie Lawther, Managing Director of Optimal Recruitment, in Brookvale, who only deals with jobs on the peninsula, said her theory was that because of JobKeeper and JobSeeker, people are not bothering to go for blue-collared or customer service roles which might only bring in an extra $50 or $100 a week.
“At the start of the shutdown there was utter panic,” she said
“Then we had nine weeks of it being incredibly quiet.
“Gradually it’s starting to come back.”
Ms Lawther said while the number of jobs are increasing, employers are remaining cautious with more offering temporary, rather than permanent work.
But she said others were making the most of having well qualified people on the market, who wouldn’t normally be available.
“It is a good time to get highly-skilled people,” Ms Lawther said.
“We have had CEOs and airline pilots come to us looking for work.”
However, she said it wasn’t always possible to match highly qualified niche jobs with similar roles.
She said he has an airline pilot driving a ute on the northern beaches and a music director of a cruise ship driving a forklift.”
“People are just grateful to have jobs,” she said.