February Employment Report - SEEK job ads down by 6.5%

STATE OF THE NATION

The latest SEEK Employment Report shows an overall decline of job ad volume, at -6.5% year on year to January 2020 and -6.4% year on year to December 2019. Whilst year on year volumes are down, SEEK data is showing positive improvements, with month on month job ads up by 1.6% on December 2019. 

Community Services & Development leads as the industry with the highest job ad growth in January 2020 and December 2019 up 15.7% and 16.8% year on year respectively. 

Kendra Banks, Managing Director, SEEK ANZ comments: 

“Whilst year on year job ads for January 2020 were down, we are seeing positive month on month growth, pointing to a potential improvement in the job market. 

January marked the second consecutive month of positive month on month job ad growth at 1.6%, backing up the 0.2% rise in December. However, after Australia’s devastating bushfire season, and the uncertainty surrounding novel coronavirus, we expect short term growth to remain challenging as sectors such as Hospitality and Tourism, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Retail and the Higher Education sector remain exposed.  

However, we are continuing to see the Community Services & Development industry make consistent contributions to job ad growth. Since midway through last year, opportunities for job seekers remain available across Aged & Disability Support, Community Development, Management and Child Welfare and Youth & Family Services. 

In the states, Western Australia shows higher than average growth in the Community Services & Development industry, up 16% year on year to January 2020. Regions such as Mandurah & Peel, Bunbury & South West, Albany & Great Southern and even further east in Kalgoorlie Goldfields and Esperance are all contributing to job ad growth. 

Queensland’s Community Services & Development industry is also strong, up 11% year on year to January. Job opportunities can be found across Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, to Western Queensland and further north in Mackay & Coalfields.

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: HOUSING & CONSTRUCTION

Kendra Banks continues to comment: “Whilst our 2020 January data shows a further decline in job ads for housing related sectors, such as Construction, Trades & Services, Real Estate and Property, we will watch closely to see if this is the bottom of the downward trend, as we have seen signs of hiring activity stabilising in our data. 

This prediction coincides with the Australian Bureau of Statistics latest building approvals, which were up 2.7% year on year to December 2019. There may be further support to underpin residential hiring activity as reconstruction efforts commence in Australia’s bushfire affected regions, and communities begin rebuilding over the course of the year.  

STATE OF THE NATION: SALARY 

The average advertised salary across Australia was up 1.7% compared to last year (y/y to January 2020) at an average of $88,746. Salaries grew across every state and territory, except Northern Territory (down 0.5% y/y to January 2020). 

Tasmania leads with a 5.1% growth across the year with an average advertised salary of $79,951, followed by South Australia with 3.8% growth and an average advertised salary of $83,103.

Table 1: Average Advertised Salaries Seasonally Adjusted (January 2020 vs January 2019)

In December, the average advertised salary across Australia was up 2.3% compared to the previous year (y/y to December 2019) at an average of $88,717. Salaries grew across every state and territory, with South Australia coming in at number one in terms of growth, with an average salary of $83,554 (up 6.7%). 

Table 2: Average Advertised Salaries Seasonally Adjusted (December 2019 vs December 2018)

Figure 1: National SEEK Job Ad growth by state (January 2020 vs January 2019)

Figure 2: National SEEK Job Ad growth by state (December 2019 vs December 2018)

Figure 3: National SEEK Job Ad growth by industry (January 2020 vs. January 2019)

             
Figure 4: National SEEK Job Ad growth by industry (December 2019 vs. December 2018)

Download SEEK Employment Data – January 2020

Download SEEK Employment Data – December 2019 

MEDIA NOTE: When reporting SEEK data, we request that you attribute SEEK as the source.