Technology, baristas, traffic controllers among jobs in need of more workers in Australia

There are more than 150 occupations facing skill shortages in Australia across a range of industries, the Employment Minister says.

There are more than 150 occupations facing skill shortages across Australia, the employment minister says.

Employment Minister Stuart Robert said these were most commonly for technicians and trade workers, machinery operators, drivers and carers.

Speaking to the Today show on Monday, Mr Robert also singled out baristas and traffic controllers as jobs in need of more people.

“There’s over a quarter of a million jobs going … we’ve seen unemployment come screaming down with 130,000 more Australians employed now than before Covid started,” he said.

Baristas are one of the jobs included in the “key growth area(s)” according to Minister Employment Stuart Robert. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

Unemployment dropped from 4.9 per cent to 4.6 per cent in July despite widespread predictions from economists that the figure would increase.

But Mr Robert warned that improvements in the employment rate could be misleading and the numbers would probably “jump around” for the next few months.

“In the last month we've seen unemployment dropped from 4.9 down to 4.6 but that’s got a lot to do with a drop in the participation rate so (the unemployment rate) is going to be all over the place, for the next few months,” he said.

Mr Robert urged Australian looking for work to use the federal government's JobTrainer scheme.

He said five of the 10 most popular JobTrainer courses were related to the “key growth” care sector, including aged care, disability care and early childhood care.

“The key thing for Australians – now‘s a great time to get a skill,” he said.

Five of the 10 most popular JobTrainer courses are related to the in-demand care sector, including aged care, disability care and early childhood care. Picture: Brenton Edwards.

Australia’s Agricultural industry is also in desperate need of new workers.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on Monday announced a new Agricultural Worker Visa which will look overseas to the fill the void.

“The agriculture visa delivers what so many primary producers are crying out for,” Mr Joyce said.

“It will give regional Australia the workers they need to get produce to plate in Australia, as well as our export markets.”

Aussie farmers have faced ongoing workforce shortages since the seasonal workers programs came to a halt as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold of the country.

“While our farmers and industries have gone about their work keeping Australians and the world fed and clothed, they have done so under workforce constraints,” Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said.

The Agricultural Visa system will commence no later than September 30 2021 and will be open to skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers from a range of countries.