ANZSCO 3212-11,12,13Western Australia

Motor MechanicsDecember 2017

Labour Economics Office Western Australia

Department of Jobs and Small Business

Current labour market rating

/ 3212-11 Motor Mechanic (General) – Regional Shortage
3212-12 Diesel Motor Mechanic – Metropolitan Shortage
3212-13 Motor Cycle Mechanic – Unable to Rate

Previous labour market rating (November 2016)

/ 3212-11 Motor Mechanic (General) – Regional Shortage
3212-12 Diesel Motor Mechanic – Regional Shortage
3212-13 Motor Cycle Mechanic – Unable to Rate

Comments

Overall, a greater proportion of vacancies were filled this year compared to 2016. However, shortages of motor mechanics were evident in regional areas, as were shortages of diesel mechanics in metropolitan areas.

Survey results[1]

  • This year employers filled 71 per cent of vacancies, compared to 61 per cent in 2016.
  • Employers across the metropolitan and regional areas reported filling a similar proportion of vacancies (70 per cent and 71 per cent respectively).
  • In 2016, metropolitan employers filled a higher proportion of vacancies than regional employers (86 per cent compared to 50 per cent).
  • This year employers attracted an average of 13.8 applicants per vacancy, compared to
    9.7 applicants per vacancy in 2016.
  • Metropolitan employers attracted an average of 24.9 applicants per vacancy while regional employers attracted 5.9 applicants. In 2016, metropolitan and regional employers attracted an average of 22.0 and 4.4 applicants per vacancy respectively.
  • Despite the higher number of applicants this year, the number of suitable applicants declined from an average of 1.4 in 2016 to 1.0 per vacancy. The decline in the average number of suitable applicants in 2017 has been recorded across all occupations in this unit group.
  • Metropolitan and regional employers reported an average of 1.4 and 0.8 suitable applicants respectively. In 2016 metropolitan employers attracted 2.4 suitable applicants per vacancy, while regional employers reported 1.0 suitable applicants.

Motor Mechanic (General)

  • Employers who advertised for motor mechanics in metropolitan areas had little difficulty attracting qualified and suitable applicants, while employers seeking to fill similar roles in regional areas experienced greater difficulties.
  • Employers seeking motor mechanics in metropolitan areas filled 100 per cent of vacancies, attracting an average of 26.0 applicants and 1.4 suitable applicants to their vacancies.
  • In regional areas, employers attracted an average of 8.8 applicants per vacancy, considered
    0.8 applicants suitable and filled just over 50 per cent of their vacancies.
  • The most frequently cited reason for regional vacancies remaining unfilled was a lack of suitable applicants. In these circumstances a number of regional employers noted that this was due to the location of the vacancy.

Diesel Motor Mechanic

  • Overall, employers seeking diesel mechanics attracted an average of 11.1 applicants, 1.0 suitable applicants and filled 67 per cent of vacancies.
  • Metropolitan employers attracted an average of 1.4 suitable applicants and filled 40 per cent of vacancies.
  • Vacancies in the metropolitan area remained unfilled due applicants taking up other positions, choosing not to take up a position due to personal reasons or in some cases no suitable applicants applied.
  • Conversely, regional employers attracted an average of 0.8 suitable applicants and filled
    80 per cent of vacancies.

Motorcycle Mechanic

  • There were insufficient numbers of vacancies sourcedduring this year’s survey period to determine an individual rating for motorcycle mechanics.

Employer requirements

  • Employers sought suitably qualified and experienced applicants with two to three years post qualification experience,a drivers licence and a sound ability to diagnose faults, service and repair motor vehicles.
  • Employers with motor mechanic (general) vacancies also favoured those applicants with skills in automotive electrics, IT, fitting and balancing tyres, and those who held a Motor Vehicle Repairers Certificate.
  • Some employers explicitly sought applicants with service and repair experience in brands such as Holden, Toyota or in European passenger vehicles.
  • Employers seeking diesel mechanics sought applicants with a heavy vehicle licence. Additionally, specialised experience in the maintenance and repairof specific types of heavy duty trucks
    (e.g. American trucks) and plant machinery was often a requirement of the role.
  • Employers also viewed the growth in computer diagnostics as adversely impacting the development and maintenance of this skillset in the occupation.

Unsuitable applicants

  • Employers most commonly deemed applicants to be unsuitable due to a lack of a relevant qualification or a lack of experience in the trade.
  • Many unqualified applicants were in the process of completing an apprenticeship, and were not considered suitable as they lacked a completed qualification.
  • Applicants with a relevant qualification were most frequently deemed unsuitable due to a lack of specific experience, such as experience working on European vehicles or American trucks.
  • Other frequently cited reasons for applicant unsuitability included insufficient technical skills (such as inadequate diagnostic skills), an unstable employment history and disagreements over remuneration.
  • Applicants who did not live locally were deemed unsuitable where this was a requirement of the employer.

Demand and supply trends

  • While new vehicle sales are down over the last 12 months, increases have been recorded in the number of vehicles registered and motor vehicle mechanics employed, as well as in the number of online advertisements for this occupation.
  • The sale of new motor vehicles in Western Australia has trended down since 2012. Consistent with this trend, sales of new vehicles fell by a further two per cent over the year to December 2017.[2]
  • Over the year, the number of registered vehicles rose by 0.5 per cent (to 2,219,291), however this remains below the averagegrowth of 2.3 per cent recorded over the previous five years.[3]
  • As at November 2017, there were 14,000 people employed as motor mechanics in Western Australia.The number of motor mechanics employed in the statehas doubled since November 2012.[4]
  • Online vacancies for motor mechanicsrose by 15 per cent over the year having grown steadily since February 2017. [5]
  • Entry into this trade is through completion of an apprenticeship granting a Certificate III Vehicle Mechanical Technology (heavy commercial or light vehicle).
  • There were around 800 apprentice and trainee commencements for motor mechanics in Western Australia in 2017. This is 18 per cent higher than in 2016 but sits 11 per cent below the average for the last 10 years.[6]
  • The number of apprentice and trainee completions for this occupation declined by 25 per cent over the year to March 2017 to around 570. This is the lowest number of completions since 2008 and eight per cent below the 10 year average.[7]
  • To work as a motor mechanic,it is also necessary to hold a Motor Vehicle Repairer's Certificate, or work under the supervision of someone who holds a current certificate.

Labour Economics Office Western Australia

Department of Jobs and Small Business

[1] The methodology underpinning this research is outlined at Skill Shortage Research Methodology | Department of Jobs and Small Business - Document library, Australian Governmentand can also be accessed by the QR code.

[2]ABS Cat: 9314 New Motor Vehicle Sales, December 2017, seasonally adjusted data.

[3]ABS Cat: 9309 Motor Vehicle Census, 31 January 2017.

[4]ABS, Labour Force, November 2017, Department of Jobs and Small Business Trend.

[5] Department of Jobs and Small Business,Internet Vacancy Index,December 2017, 12 month moving average.

[6]NCVER, Apprentices and Trainees, March 2017, estimates (limited to certificate III). All quoted figures refer to the four quarters ending March each year.

[7]Ibid.