Hiring conditions in utilities in 2024
Labour shortages will be a large challenge for utility employers in 2024 and beyond. Demand for labour in the industry is projected to grow over the next few years until 2025, and candidate availability will be low across all job roles, according to SEEK. To facilitate Australia’s transition from fossil fuel energy sources to renewable…
By Fuse Recruitment
Employer• Utilities • November 28, 2023
Labour shortages will be a large challenge for utility employers in 2024 and beyond. Demand for labour in the industry is projected to grow over the next few years until 2025, and candidate availability will be low across all job roles, according to SEEK.
To facilitate Australia’s transition from fossil fuel energy sources to renewable energy sources, many large-scale renewable energy projects that began in 2023 will increase the demand for labour in the industry. It’s projected that, by 2025, 15,000 more workers will be required to operate and build the scheduled renewable energy projects. This increase in demand will have a flow-on effect on other utility sectors as workers with transferable skills from these sectors enter the renewable energy space.
Whilst demand for labour is projected to decrease in the coal and gas sectors as we transition away from fossil fuels, this decrease is projected to be minimal, and the increase in staff required for renewable energy projects will vastly outweigh the decrease in demand for coal and gas.
According to the National Skills Commission, the professional and managerial occupation groups will see the largest growth, at 14.7% and 9.2%, respectively. Labourers and technicians & trades occupations will see lower growth, at 6.9% and 6.1%, respectively. As a result, jobs that fall into the professional and manager occupation groups will be the most difficult to recruit for, and businesses will need to create a tailored recruitment strategy to fill vacancies in these occupation groups.
To overcome recruitment challenges in these job types, utility employers should look to professionals and managers from adjacent workforces, such as construction, and train them in utility positions. Compared with workers from other industries with vastly different skill sets, these candidates will take a shorter amount of time to become competent in the space.
If you’re looking for a specialist to partner with to overcome market challenges, contact our team today to learn what a tailored recruitment solution would look like for your business.
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