Recent ABS figures detailing the Australian labour force showed a small dip but the Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA) which also conducts regular analysis of the workforce says there are few surprises.
The resource industry?s own custom jobs board and career information website currently lists more than 1500 job vacancies direct from resource employers.
ABS labour force figures from May 2013 show that 261,100 Australians were employed as a result of investment in the country?s mining, oil and gas projects. Approximately $268 billion worth of resource projects remain under construction in Australia while 287 additional projects are still being considered, potentially worth $354 billion to the nation.
?Due to softening commodity prices and some project deferrals, the two per cent decrease in total mining employment, according to the ABS data, came as little surprise to the resource industry,? said AMMA website director Kyla Jones. ?Our site shows the highest demand remains for engineers, maintenance workers, designers and drafters, machinery operators and skilled trade workers.
?It?s also encouraging to see the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Victorian resource sectors created an extra 4500 jobs combined during this quarter.?
According to Jones, the skills demand and recruitment activity will remain strong in the industry. ?If this pipeline of projects can be secured for our shores through creating an environment more conducive to investment, government estimates tell us that the construction demands alone could create around 135,000 new jobs by 2018,? she said.
?Much of this future demand will be driven by the emerging LNG sector, with key skilled tradespeople such as boilermakers and welders already in short supply and among the most sought after occupations on our website.?
Sources: AMMA, Australian Bureau of Statistics