Queensland has overtaken every other Australian state for civil engineering jobs, with Brisbane’s preparations for the 2032 Olympic Games helping drive a sharp rise in vacancies.
The state recorded 674 civil engineering vacancies in August, nearly 30 per cent more than a year earlier. New South Wales had 639 vacancies, while Victoria recorded 369, despite Queensland having a much smaller population than NSW.
The figures come from the federal government’s monthly Internet Vacancy Index, compiled by Jobs and Skills Australia. The roles span more than 20 specialisms, including geotechnical, rail, structural, transport and water engineering.
Katherine Richards, chief engineer at Engineers Australia, said the figures demonstrated the scale of the opportunity and the need to attract and train more workers to deliver Queensland’s infrastructure programme.
“Queensland’s infrastructure pipeline is creating significant opportunities for civil engineers, especially those who are willing to move. It’s the place to be right now if you’re an engineer,” she said.
Engineers would be needed throughout the process, from planning and design to construction, Richards said, including work connected to Brisbane 2032 and the services relied upon by communities.
Queensland infrastructure pipeline reaches $139.5 billion
A report published by the Queensland Major Contractors Association said the state’s major infrastructure pipeline had grown to $139.5 billion.
Andrew Chapman, the association’s chief executive, said Queensland was entering one of the most significant periods of infrastructure delivery in its history, creating major opportunities for the industry, workforce and economy.
He said the priority now had to be ensuring the state had the “capacity, capability and productivity” to complete the work, adding: “We cannot expect to deliver this volume of work by continuing to do things the same way.”
Richards said almost 70,000 engineers were expected to retire over the next 15 years, increasing pressure on the workforce but creating opportunities for people entering the profession.
“Australia is facing a significant engineering workforce challenge, but for young engineers that’s also a major opportunity,” she said.
Jarrod Bleijie, Queensland’s Deputy Premier and the minister responsible for Olympic infrastructure, said the state was “open for business” as it pursued a $119 billion pipeline covering homes, hospitals, schools, roads and other infrastructure.
He said the state was recording record apprenticeship completions, including more women entering trades, and claimed people were moving from other states because Queensland had become a place of opportunity again.
The Queensland Audit Office warned late last year of a potential shortfall of 50,000 workers during the current financial year as infrastructure construction increased. An updated report on major projects is due within weeks.
