Hot jobs: These are the industries that are hiring

WHERE are all the jobs? Unemployment has dropped slightly, but the mining downturn has transformed the market. Here’s where to look for work.

THE mining boom is a distant memory and Australia’s economy is heading in to uncertain territory.

But official figures show 17,400 new jobs were created in August, including 11,500 fulltime roles, in the fourth month of continuous positive growth.

Meanwhile, Federal Government is cracking down on “naughty” dole recipients who are not trying hard enough to rejoin the workforce. So, where are all the jobs?

Recruitment firms say there are still opportunities out there for those with the right skills, but some workers might need to consider relocating or upskilling.

The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that unemployment has dropped slightly to a still-high 6.2 per cent.

According to the latest survey by recruitment firm Manpower, most employers are planning to keep their headcounts stable in the coming three months — but there are some bright spots on the employment horizon.

Four in five of more than 1500 businesses surveyed indicating that they were not considering expanding their work force this quarter. But 13 per cent of employers were on the hunt, and only six per cent were looking at decreasing numbers.

Manpower spokeswoman Louise Whitelaw said the sectors that were hiring included real estate, finance and insurance.

“It’s actually quite positive, given we could be going into a recession,” Ms Whitelaw said.

“There are some small bright spots in what I think is a lot of doom and gloom out there.”

Real estate sales and administration staff, buyer’s agents and property managers are in demand. Photo: Justin Brierty.

REAL ESTATE BOOM

The real estate industry “continues to be really buoyant”, Ms Whitelaw said, with sales, property management and administrative roles available in both the commercial and residential sectors, particularly in New South Wales.

Manpower Managing Director Lincoln Crawley said the state’s employment market “continues to be buoyed by domestic and commercial development activity, and continued government investment in infrastructure”.

INSURE YOUR FUTURE

Insurance may not sound sexy, but it’s an industry that isn’t going anywhere. Ms Whitelaw said funds administrators and risk consultants were the hardest positions to fill in the sector.

There was also high demand for life claims assessors and underwriters; workers compensation claims and injury management specialists; general insurance commercial underwriters and claims consultants covering travel, motor and property insurance. Whew.

WOLVES OF WALL STREET

The finance sector is showing strong jobs growth in the commercial centres of Sydney and Melbourne, with new regulatory requirements prompting firms to hire new staff to ensure compliance.

“There’s a real need to understand the bigger picture,” Ms Whitelaw said.

Accountants were in high demand in specialisations including tax, commercial, finance and management accounting, she said.

Superannuation fund administrators, risk analysts, auditors and corporate investigators were also hot property.

And “consulting firms are hiring as companies look to meet compliance requirements and make cost savings.”

If you can sell, like coffee salesman and Croydon Kings player Rocky Visconte, you will be in demand. Photo: Calum Robertson

SEAL THE DEAL

Sales professionals are in demand across the nation, according to Randstad employment market analyst Steve Shepherd.

“Looking at job ads across the country, we are seeing a large number of sales roles being heavily advertised in all sectors,” Mr Shepherd said.

“Any jobseekers with sales skills, have a great opportunity to secure work in the current market ... With businesses looking to grow their sales teams, it seems they have started to focus on growth and shows that the services sector is starting to pick up jobs after the decline in the resources sector.”

HEAD TO THE BEACH

Thanks to the falling Australian dollar, we can expect local tourism to get a boost, Mr Shepherd said.

“According to BIS Shrapnel, tourism centres, such as Cairns, will be boom towns in the next five years,” he said.

“This could see investment increase in the hospitality, retail and construction sectors, which will see a steady improvement of jobs over the coming years.”

MINING THE DOWNTURN

Employers in Western Australia are hiring to fill a gap left by the families of miners who have fled the state, where the market remains volatile.

There are opportunities in the state for people with administration skills, with vacancies for office workers and call centre operators.

“Rather than job creation in the state, we are seeing people exit the WA market, which is creating vacancies — particularly in the less specialised roles that are in more constant demand,” Mr Crawley said.

“There is still demand for project-based work in WA, and the current market shows signs of having hit its lowest point. We anticipate it will plateau here before looking to recover.”

Get your hard hat on: the construction industry is buoyant in Sydney. Photo: AAP

SKILLS TRANSFER

Those who have exited the mining industry may be able to put their skills to use in other sectors, particularly construction. Civil engineers could take up opportunities with infrastructure projects in Sydney and North East Queensland, said Ms Whitelaw.

EXPORT ACTION

An uptick in manufacturing thanks to the lower Australian dollar has seen a boost in entry-level roles. Ms Whitelaw said factory workers and warehousing staff were needed to meet the higher production line needs of Australian producers as exports have increased, good news for an industry that has lost several big players in recent years.

SURE-FIRE INDUSTRIES

If you’re about to finish high school and are wondering what disciple to pursue, there are certain sectors that are primed for growth.

One that shows no signs of slowing is health care, particularly in aged care, Ms Whitelaw said.

“The roles that continue to stay in demand fit in the services sector,” she said.

Also in demand were digital and IT skills, with businesses in all industries “looking to be more tech savvy” and embrace cloud technology.

Anna Saad, pictured with client Joseph DiBella, is a transition nurse at an aged care facility.

LOOKING AHEAD

Mr Crawley said the modest jobs growth reflected the state of the economy, but that the fact less employers were reducing their headcounts was a positive sign.

“Before this year, the most significant ‘no change’ figure we had seen was in 2004, when we saw 74 per cent of employers enter a hiring holding pattern,” he said.

“The increase to 80 per cent is a significant indicator that more employers are satisfied that their present headcounts are adequate to meet current demand. That’s good news for those content with their current jobs. For those looking for a job or looking to change jobs, keep in mind that the forecast does point to some opportunities in the months ahead. There are employers who intend to hire, but the job search may take a little longer than it has in the past.”

Originally published as Hot jobs: These are the industries that are hiring