Innovation and technology drive constant change in the building and construction industry, but this doesn’t necessarily equate to closing skills gaps. If you’re recruiting for this sector, here are trends to keep an eye on this year.
Increase in health and safety roles
Recruitment advertisements for health, safety and environment roles are leading the way in the construction industry.
The latest data from Seek reveals that these rose by 37% year-on-year to October. If you’re bidding for government work, in particular, there is a huge expectation that you can implement and manage projects with robust health and safety systems and processes in place.
Most construction companies take safety and safety awareness seriously, and more and more are making it a non-negotiable. This can form an excellent part of your talent attraction strategy too.
More competition
According to Seek, there has been a 13% year-on-year increase in recruitment advertisements for the construction industry in October.
As Michael Meere reports about construction job trends, Australia has a booming construction industry with lots of new opportunities. In fact, it’s one of the largest non-service related industries in the country.
“In 2018, commercial construction alone grew by almost 10% thanks to strong population growth and new technologies. New construction projects consistently rise by 2% every quarter, creating more projects and jobs, making building and construction a smart choice for employment opportunities and career growth.”
So what does this mean for recruitment? In a tight talent market, more opportunities means more competition from talent competitors. So work on strengthening your employer brand across channels and other passive talent attraction strategies such as talent pooling and referral networking.
Remuneration expectations
“Infrastructure investment is always a highly contested political issue and with the upcoming Federal election in 2019, expect both parties to pledge budget funds to update our roads, building new hospitals and schools, and updating public transport systems. These large-scale projects provide jobs for those in all areas of the industry, from project management to architecture and traffic control.”
“The industry still offers high starting salaries, even for junior or graduate positions (an average of $60,000 per annum). Senior roles in positions such as project management attract salaries that regularly exceed $180,000 per annum.”
This may equate to competitive pay rates. If you offer great remuneration, include these in your recruitment advertisements.
Increasing gender diversity
The construction industry is no longer as male-dominated, as more women are taking advantage of career opportunities in the sector.
“In 2018, more women joined the industry, taking advantage of the high salaries and workplace flexibility on offer. In 2019, expect to see women in the construction workforce increase even further, continuing to make the industry inclusive for all involved.”
Ensure your recruitment advertisements use unbiased language and bring your executive team on board in prioritising diversity and inclusion.
Sustainability still important
While sustainability is still a priority in a number of industries, it is of particular importance to the construction industry due to high potential for waste during processes.
“Expect to see an increase in recycling schemes, a focus on reusing as much as possible, and sustainable sourcing alternatives to common building materials. Sustainability in the planning stages will become common, with architects and developers working on projects that are kinder to the environment. We will see simple changes like using more greenery to bigger ones such as including natural heating and cooling to reduce electricity consumption.”
If your organisation prioritises environmental sustainability, incorporate this into your employer brand messaging, as promoting this aspect can make you more attractive to potential candidates.
New technology and innovation to watch for
“Technology use in building and construction is set to soar in 2019. Types of technology to look out for include:
- using drones to plan projects more effectively
- connected job sites by cloud technology which will allow all areas of a project to communicate more efficiently, breaking down location barriers
- increased use of 3D printing
- wearable technology that allows reporting and communication to be carried out on the go
- robotics assisting with dangerous or repetitive tasks.”
Technology won’t mitigate skills gaps
Even with new technology disruptions, the construction industry is mostly protected from technology endangering jobs. Although, demands for skilled workers with strong technological skills who can operate software will increase.
“Skill shortages in construction still exist, meaning salaries in the industry are highly competitive, in the hope of attracting workers to fill these gaps. The types of shortages vary by location, but research finds that carpenters, electricians, builders, labourers and project managers are some of the most in demand.”
As stated, junior roles are fetching on average $60 000 per annum, and senior and project management roles regularly exceed $180 000 per annum.
According to Seek, the average advertised salary for the construction industry in October was $106,784.
Take this into consideration with remuneration expectations and crafting effective recruitment advertisements.
The building and construction industry continues to grow and flourish. To stand out from your talent competitors, promote your employer brand, with a focus on diversity and inclusion, and sustainability (if these are part of your offering). Improve your passive talent attraction methods, recruit for skills to match new technologies.
Source
Building and Construction Job Trends 2019
Michael Meere
College for Adult Learning
Industry spotlight: construction
Seek