Jobs with the fastest-growing salaries in Australia revealed

Pay rises of almost 30 per cent are up for grabs in a handful of Aussie professions. See the list of jobs with the fastest-growing salaries.

Aussie workers in a handful of professions are bucking the broader trend to earn massive wage rises – of more than 28 per cent in some cases.

New research has unveiled the occupations with the fastest-growing salaries, with fitter technicians topping the list, earning a whopping 28.4 per cent more than they did last year.

Aircraft maintenance engineers are not far behind, recording a 27.4 per cent pay hike to bring their average salary to $144,823, according to the data from job platform SEEK.

Personal carers, support assistants and road train operators have seen their wages climb by about 24 per cent.

The pay rises are well above the 2 to 5 per cent increase awarded to most Aussie workers, says Jo Jakobs, professional talent director at recruiter Randstad.

“A 20 per cent pay increase for workers is quite rare in most Australian industries,” she says.

“Traditionally, average wage growth tends to align more closely with inflation rates, often in the single-digit percentage range.

“Exceptional increases, such as 20 per cent or more, could be observed in highly specialised or highly competitive sectors where there’s a significant shortage of skilled labour, or in scenarios where employees are being compensated for longstanding pay disputes or when resolving pay equity issues.”

Fitter technicians and licenced aircraft maintenance engineers have the fastest-growing salaries.

Securing more pay

For most workers, changing jobs is the easiest way to increase income, Jakobs says. Although it’s still likely any pay rise will be far below 20 per cent.

She says counteroffers from companies looking to retain their existing talent can provide workers with a sizeable salary boost. But she warns: “you have to ask yourself why it took you getting to the point of resignation for your employer to then respond with a significant pay increase”.

Jakobs cautions against moving jobs for pay alone and says other factors, including job security, career progression, work-life balance and personal fulfilment, must also be considered.

Nevertheless, shifting jobs does pay dividends, particularly for workers struggling with costs of living.

SEEK head of customer insights and strategy Aimee Hutton says Australian workers who changed jobs last year had an average salary increase of nine per cent, compared to a 5.5 per cent increase for workers who stayed put.

“With that in mind, if you’re in a position to do so, it could be worthwhile considering a new role if you’re looking to increase your pay packet faster,” she says.

Predicting future rises

Although it’s impossible to predict future salary growth, targeting sectors and roles that are in demand is the best way to ensure good pay, Hutton says.

“We know that many working Australians are facing increased financial pressures amid rising cost of living and, based on our research, this strain is prompting many workers to consider changing roles to go after a larger pay packet,” she says.

“Sectors and roles that are in demand can often provide an indication of where salaries may be more competitive to attract talent.

“SEEK data shows that the most in-demand roles by job ad volume are administration officer, registered nurse, early childhood teacher, cook, occupational therapist, retail sales assistant, disability support worker, barista and electrician.”

Software engineer Renaldi Gondosubroto says upskilling in AI has boosted his earning potential.

Opportunities in AI

Upskilling in artificial intelligence is a sure-fire way to boost salaries, says Louise Stigwood – enterprise director at Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is offering eight free courses in AI and generative AI.

She predicts when AI is fully harnessed, those with the appropriate skills could see their income grow by more than 29 per cent, especially if working in IT or business operations.

The AI skills gap means employers are already paying top dollar to secure the right workers, Stigwood says, with demand set to increase even further.

“All different worker types have an opportunity to embrace cloud fluency and generative AI skills,” she says.

“And there’s very significant pay increases available to people that can take advantage of the training that is out there and upskill themselves in generative AI.”

Higher compensation

Renaldi Gondosubroto says upskilling in AI has seen his income increase between 20 and 30 per cent.

The software engineer has completed 13 AWS certifications and now specialises in the development of AI and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.

“It is difficult to pinpoint an exact figure but it is safe to say that my skills have made me more valuable to my employer and the broader tech market,” he says.

“Given the current economic climate and rising costs of living, having an increase in pay is very important.

“It not only provides me financial security but also the flexibility to invest in further education and personal development.

“In the competitive tech industry, I believe upskilling in AI and certifications certainly helps to set you apart and justifies higher compensation.”

The five fastest-growing salaries

1. Fitter technician: $93,353 average salary, 28.4% salary growth

2. Licenced aircraft maintenance engineer: $144,823, 27.4%

3. Personal carer residential: $62,398, 24.8%

4. Support assistant: $69,695, 23.7%

5. Road train operator: $113,178, 23.6%

Source: SEEK