The COVID-19 outbreak had a swift and dramatic effect on the jobs market. Experts predict the longer-term trends and where job growth will continue.

Australia’s jobs market has shifted drastically since the pandemic, with many changes expected to last well beyond 2020.

Aside form short-term effects such as jobs disappearing in hospitality and tourism but appearing in supermarkets and logistics, longer-term trends have also been sparked in areas from information and communication technology to contact centres.

Hender Careers principal consultant Paul Bell says current areas of growth are disability and human services; aged care; health, particularly mental health services; ICT professional services; housing; intrastate transport; supermarkets; home renovations and furniture; and intrastate tourism, such as in wine regions.

An extra 34,750 people were working in building construction this August compared to last. 
Picture: iStock

In South Australia, the space industry is also growing with the establishment of the Australian Space Agency.

Although he expects most of these areas will continue to increase beyond the pandemic, Bell says the housing sector may experience only a short-term boost.

“Government stimulus as a result of the pandemic has noticeably fuelled growth in the housing sector,” he says.

“A colleague of mine spoke with someone from the sector who say they have seen 400 per cent growth.”

Hender Careers’ Paul Bell says growth areas range from disability care to transport. Picture: Supplied

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal there were 34,750 more people working in building construction in August, 2020, compared to August, 2019 – up 12 per cent year on year.

Another sector that has experienced significant employment growth during this period is ICT.

Melanie Burgess
Careers deputy editor
@MelanieBurgess
November 9, 2020
News Corp Australia Network