Fastest growing Victorian jobs: Public transport workers, taxi drivers

NEW data has been released showing which industries have had the most opportunities and strong job ad growth on SEEK in the past 12 months.

Newly appointed public transport worker Sarah Telling. Picture: Josie Hayden

PUBLIC transport workers and taxi drivers are the fastest growing jobs ads on SEEK in Victoria — and are especially appealing to women.

New data looked at which industries had the most opportunities and showed strong job ad growth on SEEK in the past 12 months.

Public transport and taxi services jobs topped the list with advertising for these positions increasing by 133 per cent.

The average salary offered was $75,701.

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Demand for drafting engineers was also strong in Victoria with the construction industry going from strength to strength.

The 2016 average advertised salary on SEEK in Victoria for engineering jobs was $98,411 and $67,791 for drafting engineers.

Strong growth and demand was also recorded in vacancies for welders and boilermakers (up 65 per cent), workers’ compensation (up 62 per cent), and healthcare and medical management (up 58 per cent).

Sarah Telling, 28, a project engineer working on the level crossing removal project, joined Metro last September.

“Rail, and construction in general is typically male dominated but that’s changing really quickly,” she said.

“A female engineer is no longer a rare thing at Metro.

“There is so much investment in public transport improvements at the moment and that’s bringing new people and new ideas.”

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Metro project engineer Sarah Telling. Picture: Josie Hayden

Yarra Trams spokesman Simon Murphy said it had seen a fivefold increase in the number of people applying for roles in the past four years.

Since 2013, the number of women applicants increased to 38 per cent and the number of women employees rose by 50 per cent, Mr Murphy said.

“As part of our strategy to increase diversity and organisational capability, in 2013 we launched a campaign called Driven Women,” he said.

“We held internal and external focus groups to understand the key issues that made women reluctant to apply for roles.

“In the two years after the launch of the Driven Women campaign, we experienced a 900 per cent increase in women applying for driver roles.”

SEEK spokeswoman Kendra Banks said Victoria’s growing population and increasing life expectancy could be credited for fuelling jobs growth across engineering, health care and medical sectors and construction and trades.

“We don’t expect demand on SEEK to slow any time soon across these fastest growing jobs, as Victorians will always need new and/or improved residential and commercial infrastructure and people to care for us at all stages of life,” she said.

Job ads on SEEK for Victoria rose strongly in December 2016, up 10.1 per cent compared to December 2015.

FASTEST GROWING JOBS IN VICTORIA

1. PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND TAXI SERVICES

Job growth: 133%

Average salary: $75,701

Salary growth: 4.1%

2. ENGINEERING DRAFTING

Job growth: 72%

Average salary: $67,791

Salary growth: -1.2%

3. WELDERS AND BOILERMAKERS

Job growth: 65%

Average salary: $50,899

Salary growth: -7.0%

4. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

Job growth: 62%

Average salary: $69,637

Salary growth: 1.9%

5. HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

Job growth: 58%

Average salary: $98,344

Salary growth: -0.2%

Source: SEEK Job Growth Report, January-November 2016 vs. January-November 2015

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@AndyJeffo