Relatively low unemployment, fast changing industries and a
growing skills shortage in a range of sectors are some of the reasons career
savvy professionals want to work in Australia and New Zealand.
The outdoor lifestyle is another plus along with accessible
health care, good education options and relative safety and security.
Employment outlook
Unemployment continues to be low in Australia – ranging from
just under five per cent to just over 5.1 per cent. New Zealand’s unemployment
rate was 6.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2012. Both rates are well under
the jobless rates of Europe, the US and the UK.
A hiring intentions report compiled by recruitment giant
Manpower found 20 percent of Australian employers plan to hire new staff in the
next quarter but hiring is generally cautious right now.
While recruiters report skill shortages across a range of
sectors including mining, IT&T and finance, employers would rather leave a
role empty than hire the wrong person.
Recruiters say that for candidates, their focus should be on
marketing their skills and attributes rather than their job title when talking
to employers in the region.
Employers in the finance, insurance and real estate sectors
in Australia show the strongest hiring intentions over the next quarter,
according to Manpower.
The same research reveals hiring will continue at a steady
pace in New Zealand over the next quarter with the strongest hiring predicted
to take place in the Mining & Construction and Transport & Utilities
sectors.
For Australia, mining continues to create a huge demand for
jobs including for engineers while retail and manufacturing have been shedding
jobs.
Innovation and expansion
Australia’s banking sector remains one of the strongest in
the world. While the economic woes of Europe have seen major Australian banks
look at reducing costs including headcount, the nation’s “big four” banks are
looking at areas of new innovation.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is a good example; CBA’s
CEO Ian Narev told a briefing of analysts and media recently about the bank’s
plans to develop world leading banking technology using an Australia-based
team.
He said jobs would not be sent to high tech teams off shore;
instead the CBA is investing in upskilling existing staff as well as hiring new
talent.
The roll out of high speed broadband is also tipped to
transform the local hiring landscape. A major report commissioned by IBM has
looked at the impact of fast Internet access on 509 industry sectors.
IBM claims it is the first time a country’s economic development
has been measured through its adoption of Information Communications Technology
(ICT).
Only 15 sectors were found to be in danger of going
backwards namely traditional media and publishing. Massive reinvention efforts
are currently underway in the media sector with an emphasis on digital skills
but it is too early to know the impact on new hiring.
Written by IBIS World, the report predicts high-speed
broadband will soon be available everywhere on computers, mobiles and wireless
devices and when coupled with advanced analytics and computing systems will
transform many sectors creating new employment opportunities at the same time.
IBIS World predicts Australia will shift from exporting its
natural resources to exporting "developed resources" - health,
education, tourism and business services.
Challenges
While it is a great time to get ahead of the curve in terms
of joining rapidly changing sectors there are several challenges newcomers face
by moving to the region.
Housing affordability has been on the rise in both Australia
and in New Zealand. New Zealand is also experiencing a housing shortage.
Finding the right employment opportunities and learning how
to market your skills within the context of the two markets can also be tough.
Employers prefer local experience so new hires can hit the ground
running.
Connecting with industry and professional contacts as well
as local employers is a must for anyone wanting to make a move to Australia or
New Zealand as seamless as possible for family.
