Australia’s population is growing by 1.6% every year. This means that there is a constantly increasing demand for both residential and commercial buildings, which in turn, means that there is an increasing demand for workers within the building trades sector.

If you’re the kind of person who likes using their brain and their hands, likes solving problems, can handle a bit of pressure, and wants to earn good money in an in demand role – then a career in one of the building trades could be just what you’re looking for.

Spotlight on industry: Increasing productivity

The number of active construction projects within Australia is growing by 2% every quarter, and productivity within the construction industry is increasing by 2.8% each year. Demand for building trade workers is influenced by the level of activity in the construction, housing, and building industry, as well as by economic conditions across sectors, and as such, the demand for construction trades workers remains strong.

As we approach 2023, the building and construction industry is projected to have above average employment, with strong growth expected across sectors within this industry such as plumbing, carpentry, tiling, masonry, painting, plastering, and cabinet making.

Spotlight on industry growth: Worker shortages

Employers within New South Wale are unable to fill, or are having considerable difficulty in filling job roles within the building trades sector, with around 52% of jobs going unfilled due to reasons like a lack of qualifications, a lack of specialisation, a lack of technical skills, a lack of necessary licensing, and a lack of communication skills.

By earning a valuable qualification, and making quality industry connections at TAFE NSW, you’ll have the expert skills and job ready know-how, to find the building job that best suits you.

The 9 most in demand building trades roles in NSW:

• bricklayers
• painters
• carpenters and joiners
• stonemasons
• plumbers
• cabinetmakers
• glaziers
• wall and floor tilers
• plasterers

Spotlight on salaries: Project Builder

Project Builders are responsible for overseeing the building and/or repair of various structures, ensuring that projects are completed on schedule, within budget, and within project specifications. The importance of this roles is reflected by the salaries of those who work in it.

Project Builder average salary: $89,630
Project Builder pathway course: Diploma of Building and Construction (Building)

Spotlight on future skills needs: Be in demand

Beyond the area specific, hands on, trade skills that are required to be employed within the building industry, employers have also identified the following skills as crucial for anyone looking to gain employment:

• coordination and teamwork skills
• operation control and monitoring skills
• quality control analysis skills
• mathematics skills
• critical thinking skills
• active listening, speaking and communication skills
   

The building trades teachers at TAFE NSW are all industry experts who tailor courses to reflect the modern advances and techniques within the industry. So when you choose to study at TAFE NSW, you can be assured that the skills and knowledge you learn, will help you to start your trades career the right way.

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Sources: Industry employment forecast, job advertisement, top skills and qualifications, and employer data have been provided by TAFE Strategy. Employment forecast data was sourced from Deloitte Access Economics in February 2017. All job advertisement data was sourced from the Burning Glass Technologies’ Labor Insight™ Real-time Labor Market Information tool and is based on online job postings over a three month period between 17 April to 17 July 2018. Average salary data has been sourced from the Commonwealth Government’s JobOutlook website. National skills shortage data has been sourced from the Commonwealth Department of Jobs and Small Business.