Job Outlook

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Report from Ai Group

The national construction industry recorded a 16th consecutive month in positive territory in May, with house building expanding strongly as the Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) eased slightly by 1.4 points to 54.0 (readings above 50 indicate expansion in activity, with the distance from 50 indicating the strength of the increase).

Ai Group Chief Economist, Julie Toth, said: "The construction industry is busier than ever in 2018, with strong demand across most major segments of the market. Residential construction activity remains elevated but it is clearly slowing from recent peaks, with house construction now taking the lead over apartments. Engineering construction continues to expand, as it works its way through a very large pipeline of transport and other major infrastructure projects. Commercial construction growth is evening out, but forward orders and planning approvals suggest a stronger period of activity still lies ahead in this sector," Ms Toth said.

HIA Senior Economist, Geordan Murray, said: "The June update to the Australian PCI® continues to highlight how the drivers of growth in construction activity are changing as the economic cycle rolls on. The boom in apartment project commencements occurred back in 2016 and the peak level of construction activity owing to this spike has almost worked its way through the system. The apartment market is now in a contractionary phase but the level of activity remains high in a historic context. Detached house activity has been strong but relatively stable. The pace of expansion in this part of the market has been limited by the capacity to supply new residential lots. Throughout 2016 and 2017 there was a large number of off-the-plan sales in upcoming developments. This pipeline of off-the-plan sales should sustain an elevated level of home building over the year ahead as these developments progress," Mr Murray said.

Australian PCI®– Key Findings for May:

• The construction industry's 16th consecutive month of expansion was supported by continued growth in activity (up 2.6 points to 53.9) and new orders (down 1.6 points to 54.9). This was associated with a stronger increase in deliveries from suppliers (up 3.0 points to 56.7), but employment growth softened from April's 3½-year high (down 8.0 points to 51.5).
• Across the four sub-sectors, house building (up 8.3 points to 58.6) and engineering construction (up 2.6 points to 55.8) were the major drivers of growth, while the pace of growth in commercial construction slowed significantly (down 11.4 points 52.6).
• Apartment building activity declined for the ninth time in the past 10 months, if at a slower rate (up 3.5 points to 46.8), following a cooling in new orders over the second half of 2017.
• Input price inflation escalated further in May (up 8.1 points to 82.6) on the back of energy costs and supplier price hikes related to commodity prices, while the pace of wages growth in wages appears to be gaining strength as demand for workers increases (up 3.6 points to 66.9).
• The selling prices sub-index increased by 2.7 points to 60.4, suggesting that cost pressures are being passed on in part, but still not broadly given strong market competition

The global landscape is constantly changing – the population is getting older, more females are in paid work, and the number of school-aged children is growing. The number and type of job openings available in the future will depend on things like turnover, demand for goods and services, demand for resources and changes in technology.

Future Outlook

In Australia, it is forecasted that demand is likely to stay stable and strong for careers and jobs in the housing and construction, accounting services, childcare, education services, and aged care industries over the next decade.

Housing and Construction

Construction is the third largest industry in Australia, producing over 8% of our GDP and employing roughly over one million people, according to the AI Group. Each year, the industry grows greater in size and this year, the Construction Industry Forum estimates that over 220,000 residential homes will be built around the country this year.

This translates into a very strong future growth for the housing and construction sector and the demand for project managers, building surveyors, concreters, gardeners and construction workers are currently and will continue to be very strong.

Some occupations in the housing and construction industry include:

A Project Manager plans, organises, directs, controls and co-ordinates the construction of civil engineering projects, buildings and dwellings, and the physical and human resources involved in building and construction. Project Managers can also work in other industries and not just in the housing and construction industry. Our project management diploma can help you gain the knowledge and skills you will need to help you perform the required tasks of a Project Manager. The average weekly pay of Project Managers in the housing and construction industry is $1,719 (before tax).

A Building Surveyor is responsible for making sure that buildings are safe, energy efficient and livable. They interact with other professionals such as engineers, architects, buildings and project managers to ensure that buildings are designed and constructed to comply with building regulations. The average weekly pay of Building Surveyors is $1,400 (before tax).