Energy, gas and oil likely to present the best jobs for overseas workers​

Jobs in the energy, gas and oil sectors in Australia are likely to continue to see skills shortages in 2013 and present opportunities for overseas workers, according to recruitment experts. The latest future trends report from recruitment firm Hays, says that there will be fierce competition in the energy sector for talent against the higher salaries of the oil and gas industry.

'Employers in this sector should be aware that if the market changes this year, it may see some of their recent candidate appointments going back to the mines and chasing extra dollars,' it point out. The firm expects 2013 to bring a stronger start to the year for the construction industry as a number of large scale projects are to be awarded in some states which will pull resources from other areas of the market.

'As project pipelines are finalised permanent recruitment will rise and companies would rather add value and experience to their work force and strengthen their culture rather than staff specifically on a project basis which was a trend in the latter half of 2012,' it says.

It also says that engineering employers remain optimistic about 2013, expecting things to improve in March or April. 'However, candidates need to remain flexible in terms of location, role and salary expectations if they want to seize the good opportunities. We expect to see more temporary and fixed term contract roles as employers look to recruit from project to project rather than permanent staff. Engineering will remain a candidate short market this year and there will be salary pressure,' the report explains.

'We also see increased pressure on salary and remuneration packages in some metro markets which is being driven by temporary oversupply in the market for various types of staff. That being said candidates with a steady work history are still in demand. In the accountancy and finance industry, for example, salaries appear to be under pressure with several firms offering better training and internal development to entice new candidates. Employers will need to promote their organisations more to attract top tier candidates,' it adds.

Changes in legislations for childcare centres have led to an increase in need for supervisors and qualified staff in this sector. The firm also points out that there is a continued focus towards a national curriculum which may bring about more interstate candidate movement and increase available candidates in the market.
Quote from AustraliaForum.com : "Hi, me and my family are in the very early stages of applying for a visa from the uk. We will hopefully be joining my brother and his family in Darwin. We were just wondering if any one would know what the construction industry is like in Darwin and surrounding areas at the min? Any advice would be apreciated."
Employers could miss out on recruiting the best candidates. 'Those with slow processes are often missing out on the first pick of candidates when other employers are moving more swiftly to secure talent. Employers will need to lift their game by responding to all applicants in order to have a good reputation as employers of choice. They also need to keep candidates up to date about their process,' the report says.

Job candidates will need to be flexible on package offers and look towards other retention factors such as career progression and employment conditions. Employers will also need to start preparing for the ageing population and have strong succession planning in place. The report acknowledges that sourcing talent from other countries is a great way of bringing fresh ideas to an organisation but it reckons that promoting from within is set to become more popular.

'Companies, which are recruiting, and candidates need to be able to deliver their value proposition in a concise manner and act quickly to avoid missing out on opportunities,' it concludes.