The Australian government updates its website to notify the people on areas that require more skilled workers. The latest update shows that trade jobs are one of the highest listed in the skills shortages list.

Their recent finding has shown that a high number of employers have found no suitable applicants when looking to hire for a role.

What are the trade roles listed in the skills shortages?

According to the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, trade jobs with shortages are:

  • Bricklayer & Stonemason
  • Cabinet Maker
  • Carpenter and Joiner
  • Fibrous Plasterer
  • Glazier
  • Painting Trade Worker
  • Plumber
  • Wall and Floor Tiler
  • Motor mechanic
  • Automotive Electrician
  • Panelbeater
  • Vehicle Painter
  • Architect
  • Surveyor
  • Electrician
  • Sheetmetal trades worker
  • Food trades

These are some of the common trades seen on the skills shortages list.

Recruitment Difficulties

According to the research on Construction trades around 85% of vacancies that were advertised in 2018 required the applicants to be trade qualified. And although employers received around three qualified applicants per vacancy, two-thirds of them were deemed unsuitable. The main reason for this being a lack of general experience or specific experience relevant to the role. Employers also stated that applicants had inadequate technical skills and there were some that failed to appear for a work trial or interview. 41% of employers in this industry said they had attracted no suitable applicants.

Engineering trades seem to show similar figures. While almost half the applicants held relevant qualifications, more than three-quarters of these candidates were regarded as unsuitable, commonly because they: lacked the specific experience or technical skills employers sought, had a poor work history/ failed to attend work trials or did not have the communication skills required. Here, 76% of qualified applicants ended up being unsuitable.

And in the automotive trade sector Almost all surveyed vacancies required trade qualifications, and the lack of qualification was the most common reason for applicants being unsuitable. In this trade, 51% of employers found they had no suitable applicants to fill out vacancies.

Let Skills Certified Help You Prepare for These Trade Jobs

Whether you have just moved to Australia and are looking for an income stream, or if you’ve been thinking of trying to fill one of these roles, Skills Certified can help you with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Get your hard-earned skills and qualifications recognised so you can help overcome the shortages in these industries.