ANZSCO 3241-11Queensland

PanelbeaterDecember 2016

Labour Economics Office Queensland

Department of Employment

Current labour market ratingShortage

Previous labour market rating (September 2015)Shortage

Comments

The survey found a shortage of panelbeaters in Queensland. Employers experienced difficulty filling advertised vacancies with qualified applicants in both metropolitan and regional areas.

Survey results

  • Most of the vacancies in this survey were with businesses specialising in collision repair, while others were with companies undertaking bus and truck repairs or repairs of high end European cars.
  • In this year’s survey, 50 per cent of vacancies were filled within four weeks of advertising, which was lower than last year’s fill rate of 60per cent.
  • Many employers across the State advised that they had advertised repeatedly before filling their vacancies and that a number of jobs were filled by word of mouth or chance encounter, rather than via advertising.
  • On average, there were 3.8 applicants per vacancy in this year’s survey, with half as many applicants for regional positions (2.0) compared with metropolitan (4.3).Metropolitan employers did, however, attract a slightly higher average number of suitable applicants per vacancy (1.1) compared to 0.5 in regional areas.
  • Around 40 per cent of employers did not attract any suitable applicants totheir vacancies.

Unsuitable applicants

  • Around 63 per cent of applicants were not qualified panelbeaters.
  • Of the 37 per cent of applicants who were qualified, around 40 per cent were considered unsuitable. The most commonly stated reason was that applicants lacked basic skills or experience.
  • Some applicants were not considered because they were seeking wages beyond the capacity of the business.

Demand and supply trends

  • Panelbeaters repair damage to metal, fibreglass and plastic body work on vehicles and form replacement vehicle panels. In Queensland they are employed predominantly in automotive, paint and interior repair businesses.
  • Panelbeater demand is associated with the number of registered vehicles on the road and the number of motor vehicle accidents. The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads reported that there were 5,004,890motor vehicles registered in Queensland as at 30 June 2016, an increase of almost 2.5 per cent over the previous year.[1] However new motor vehicle monthly sales fell by 4.1 per cent over the year to November 2016in Queensland.[2]
  • Figures from the Motor Accident Insurance Commission show that the number of motor vehicle claims has decreased each year since 2010-11.[3]
  • The latest data shows that the number of automotive, paint and interior repair businesses in Queensland decreased by 0.6 per cent between 2013-14 and 2014-15.[4]
  • Formal entry to this trade is usually through the completion of an apprenticeship in Automotive Body Repair Technology.
  • Figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research show that commencements in auto repairs trades’ apprenticeships (which includes panel beaters, and motor vehicle body builders, trimmers and painters) averaged 359 each year between March 2012 and March 2016.[5]
  • The annual number of newly qualified auto repairs trade workers entering the Queensland labour market decreased by almost six per cent between March 2015 (167) and March 2016 (157).[6]
  • Figures from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection show that temporary skilled migration is a minor source of supply to this occupation.Fewer than five 457 Visas were granted for panelbeaters to work in Queensland each year between 2009-10 and 2010-11 before increasing to an average of 17 annually between 2011-12 and 2015-16.[7]

Other indicators and issues

  • Employers and industry contacts expressed concern at the low numbers of apprentices entering the occupation and attributed this to the image of the industry as dirty and poorly paid as well asinadequate science and mathematical skills.
  • Industry contacts advise that further industry consolidation is expected as the viability of some smaller businesses is affected by rising business costs, the highly competitive nature of bidding for insurance work, andthe cost of training and capital investment necessary to keep pace with technological advancements.

Labour Economics Office Queensland

Department of Employment

[1]Registration Statistics, Department of Transport and Main Roads, June 2016,

[2]ABS 9314.0 - Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia, November 2016, trend,

[3] Motor Accident Insurance Commission , Statisticalinformation, 1 July to 31December 2015,

[4]ABS, 8165.0 Table 02 -Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, Jun 2011 to Jun 2015,

[5]NCVER Apprentices and Trainees collections, March 2016, estimates, limited to certificate III

[6]Ibid.

[7]Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Pivot Table: Subclass 457 visas granted 2016-17 to 30September 2016 - comparison with previous years,