Labour Market Research – Building Professionals and Technicians
Queensland April 2016
Labour Economics Office Queensland
Department of Employment Page 2
Occupations in cluster / Rating /1331-11 / Construction Project Manager* / No Shortage
2321-11 / Architect / No Shortage
2322-12 / Surveyor / Recruitment Difficulty
2326-11 / Urban and Regional Planner * / No Shortage
3121-11 / Architectural Draftsperson / No Shortage
3121-12 / Building Associate* / No Shortage
*Occupation(s) assessed at the national level, separate rating not available for Queensland.
Key issues
· The labour market eased for both building professionals and building technicians due to low growth in commercial construction, however residential building activity remained strong. The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved rose 2.9 per cent in April 2016 and has risen for 10 months.[1]
· The Department of Employment’s research showed no evidence of recruiting difficulties for building professionals and technicians in this year's survey, except for qualified cadastral surveyors. Overall, 77 per cent of the advertised vacancies were filled in 2015-16.
Survey results
· In this year’s survey of employers who had recently advertised for building professionals and technicians, 77 per cent of positions were filled within six weeks of advertising, consistent with the fill rates recorded each year since 2012-13.
o On average, vacancies for building professions and technicians attracted 17.9 applicants per vacancy in this year’s survey, compared to 26.8 last year.
o The average number of suitable building professions and technicians applicants per vacancy increased from 3.1 in 2014-15 to 3.3 in 2015-16.
o The average number of applicants per vacancy for building technicians fell from 34.7 in 2014-15 to 14.1 in 2015-16. There were 2.1 suitable applicants per vacancy for building technicians, which was 57.8 per cent lower than last year’s figure.
Proportion of vacancies filled (%), number of applicants and suitable applicants per vacancy (no.) Building professions and technicians, Queensland, 2016
Source: Survey of Employers who have Recently Advertised
• The fill rates for architects, architectural draftspersons and surveyors rose in this year’s survey from the previous year from 64 per cent to 71 per cent, 70 per cent to 78 per cent and 50 per cent to 60 per cent, respectively.
Reasons applicants were unsuitable
· Employers generally considered applicants to be unsuitable as they did not have industry specific qualifications, experience or adequate communication skills.
· A number of unsuitable applicants lacked additional accreditation such as cadastral endorsements or registration with the Board of Architects or Building Services Authority.
· Numerous employers advised that some unsuitable applicants did not possess the particular specialist skills being sought or proficiency in specific software.
Demand and supply trends
· The level of activity in the Building and Construction industry influences demand for building professionals and technicians. In annual terms, the trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in April 2016 was 10.6 per cent higher than the April 2015 estimate.[2]
· Demand for building services has escalated over the past year, driven by an increase in residential building, especially in medium to high density building in the south-east corner of the State.
o Residential construction now makes up 68 per cent of the total value of building jobs in the State over the year to March 2016, compared to 63 per cent during the previous two years.[3]
· Demand for surveyors is also predicated on activity in the Resources sector, which has declined over the past year. Trend data in the March 2016 quarter for minerals exploration (other than for petroleum) expenditure in the State was 10.5 per cent lower than the March 2015 quarter.[4]
· The Department of Employment’s Internet Vacancy Index showed that Queensland vacancies for building professionals and technicians increased by 1.3 per cent compared to the previous month and was 8.1 per cent higher than in the same period one year earlier.[5]
· Formal entry to the professions of architecture and surveying is via the completion of an undergraduate degree and, in the case of architecture, an additional post-graduate qualification. Architects and surveyors must also be registered with the relevant boards to practice in Queensland.
· While the numbers of students studying architecture gradually declined between 2008 (307) and 2011 (215), contacts advised that there was currently an oversupply of architects in Queensland. University contacts advised that architectural students are experiencing difficulty in procuring the work experience necessary to qualify for entry to the master’s degree.
· Respondents were, however, concerned about the supply of surveyors, with only one local university offering an undergraduate surveying degree. Figures provided by the university show that an average of 259 students commenced surveying degrees each year between 2010 and 2012, with numbers increasing to 402 in 2014. These courses are available through distance education, however only around half of these students live in Queensland.
· There are multiple pathways to becoming an architectural draftsperson. Some employers accept applicants with a senior education, offering on-the-job training or formal career paths such as traineeships or cadetships. Other employers prefer qualifications such as a Certificate IV in Residential Drafting, a Diploma of Building Design or an Associate Degree in Building Design.
· Information provided by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection indicates that the numbers of 457 Visas granted to building professionals and technicians entering Queensland under permanent skilled migration streams was not a significant source of supply.[6]
Labour Economics Office Queensland
Department of Employment Page 2
[1] ABS, 8731.0 Building Approvals, Australia, April 2016, Table 03: Number of Dwelling Units Approved, by Sector, all series – Queensland, http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/8731.0Apr%202016?OpenDocument
[2] ABS, 8731.0 - Building Approvals, Australia, Apr 2016, Table 3 http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/8731.0Apr%202016?OpenDocument
[3] ABS, 8731.0 Building Approvals, Australia, Table 81: Value of Building Approved, Chain Volume Measures, Original – Queensland, April 2016; http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/8731.0Apr%202016?OpenDocument
[4] ABS, 8412.0 - Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia, Mar 2016, Trend, http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/8412.0Main+Features1Mar%202016?OpenDocument
[5] Department of Employment, Labour Market information Portal, Vacancy Report, April 2016, 4 digit 12 month average
[6] Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Subclass 457 Visa Grants Quarterly Pivot Table 31 March 2016,
https://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/statistical-info/temp-entrants/subclass-457.htm