SEEK listings for healthcare and medical jobs rise nine per cent on previous year

AUSTRALIA’S growing population has driven a nine per cent increase on the past year in SEEK job listings for these two professions.

HEALTHCARE and medical workers are in demand, with job listings on SEEK increasing 9 per cent in the past year.

The research, which compares April to June 2017 with the same period in 2016, finds particular growth in the areas of psychology, counselling and social work (up 40 per cent), physiotherapy, occupational therapy and rehabilitation (up 18 per cent), and aged care (up 13 per cent).

Elizabeth Pettit, director of Pettit Pharma & Device Search, says the health workforce is growing as a result of Australia’s ageing population, increases in chronic diseases and the development of drug molecules and medical technologies.

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“I’m currently recruiting healthcare executives to market and sell pharmaceuticals and medical technologies and devices, to cater for the needs of healthcare professionals and to improve patient outcomes. The demand for talent across these fields is ever increasing,” Pettit says.

“The jobs in the industry that I am currently finding hardest to fill are healthcare and medical sales rep roles. It’s a candidate market for sales reps with more jobs advertised than candidates available.”

The national average advertised salary across the health industry on SEEK is $87,851.

Overall, the industry experienced particular job growth in Victoria, where listings increased 14 per cent year on year, followed by Queensland (up 7 per cent) and New South Wales (up 5 per cent).

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Enrolled nurse Jill Langford works in an aged care facility. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Jill Langford, of St Louis Aged Care Services, made a career change into the industry after working in retail and cooking.

Langford spent six years as a carer then fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse, studying enrolled nursing at Open Colleges School of Health.

“I always wanted to be a nurse as a little girl and at the age of 54 decided to take that step forward,” she says.

“I am so passionate about looking after our older generation to make sure they are as independent as possible in their own homes. I just adore them. They educate me every day. I am always learning from them and their stories. It’s not a job, I love what I do.”

Langford advises other people considering her line of work to first consider their personality and motivations.

“They should do it if they have a caring nature and a love to be with people and to help them and to enjoy putting a smile on somebody’s face and just bring a little bit of joy into their lives,” she says.

“Just be patient and show compassion and have that desire to go into a professional field with an attitude of being proud.”

READ MORE EMPLOYMENT NEWS IN THE CAREERS SECTION OF SATURDAY’S THE COURIER-MAIL, THE ADVERTISER, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH AND THE HERALD SUN.

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