Australian job ads show market is recovering from COVID, Seek data shows

After the job market was devastated by COVID-19, January job ad figures show Australia has reached a significant milestone worth celebrating.

January job ad figures recorded three months of consecutive year-on-year growth from 2020 levels, marking a milestone in Australia’s post-COVID job recovery.

Recent data from SEEK shows that January job ads were 6.5 per cent higher than numbers of January 2020. This continued on from December’s 5 per cent year-on-year growth, which superseded November’s increase of 1 per cent year-on-year.

SEEK ANZ’s Managing Director Kendra Banks said the recent figures were a “very encouraging start to the year”.

“Traditionally, we would see a drop in new job ad growth throughout December, and into the start of January,” she said. “Pleasingly, in 2021, businesses have been looking to hire from the very first week of the year.”

Last month’s growth in new jobs is in line with the latest employment data from Roy Morgan.

The market research company reported that over 12.6 million Australians were employed in January, with those figures being the highest since March 2020, just before the first COVID-19 restrictions were implemented. The unemployment rate also decreased to 11.7 per cent in January, with a reduction of 44,000 unemployed Australians compared to December numbers.

DID NSW’S COVID OUTBREAK IMPACT NUMBERS?

On a state level, all states and territories except New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory outperformed their January 2020 figures. However, the ACT only reported a 1.4 per cent decrease year-on-year, with NSW marking small drop of 4.8 per cent.

It should also be noted that the start of 2021 saw NSW battle a series of COVID-19 clusters which saw the state government reinstate several social-distancing restrictions. Travel restrictions were implemented between regional and metro cities, eateries, pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants were forced to decrease their customer limits and residents in Sydney’s northern beaches were also placed in lockdown. This however seemed to make little impact on the state’s job ad numbers.

“Despite New South Wales and the ACT having job ad levels lower than this time last year, both are at the highest levels since the pandemic began and have steadily recovered,” said Ms Banks.

“We know from 2020 that when a lockdown occurs, a swift and immediate impact on job ad volumes usually follows.

“The recent restrictions that were imposed in Perth at the start of this month may also have an impact on job ad volumes in WA in February’s data.”

Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Western Australia are leading the country’s jobs recovery. Picture: SEEK.

INDUSTRIES CONTRIBUTING TO AUSTRALIA’S RECOVERY

According to data from the employment marketplace, there are three key industries supporting Australia’s job recovery. Between January 2020 to January 2021, job ads in the trades and services industry reported a year-on-year growth of 40.9 per cent, with the manufacturing, transport and logistics and hospitality and tourism industry growing by 31 per cent and 30.5 per cent respectively.

In terms of the most in-demand roles in each sector, these included:

Trades and services:

Automotive trades, labourers, electricians, welders, boiler makers, technicians, carpentry and cabinet making and hair and beauty services.

Manufacturing, transport and logistics:

Roles in warehousing, storage and distribution, road transport, assembly and process work, machine operators, couriers, drivers and postal services.

Hospitality and tourism:

Chefs, cooks, waiting staff, bar and beverage staff, management positions, kitchen and sandwich hands, front office and guest services.

This article was created in partnership with SEEK