Games create 35k jobs

JOB creation on the Gold Coast has continued to outpace Brisbane and the wider state thanks in part to 35,000 roles created due to next month’s Commonwealth Games.

Employment marketplace Seek today released data on jobs generated by the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The company said theGames boost ensured growth in job advertisements was stronger on the Gold Coast compared to Brisbane and Queensland for the sixth straight year.

Job advertisement growth was strongest in the manufacturing, transport and logistics sector, where it surged 21 per cent for the 12 months to February, while for hospitality and tourism, it increased by 10 per cent. Seek said many of the 35,000 jobs created were for contractors.

The company said 76,000 applications had been started for jobs at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Coragement

poration (GOLDOC), with the most popular roles including sport co-ordinators, administration assistants, event man- In addition, more than 47,000 applications were received for volunteer roles.

Seek Australia and New Zealand managing director Kendra Banks said the Games would play a key role in upskilling Gold Coast workers, providing them with valuable work experience.

“The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games has given thousands of Australians a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop new skills and showcase their passion across and village coordinators. a whole range of sectors,” she said.

“The commitment and enthusiasm of the new recruits — both paid and volunteer — is inspiring, and the skills and experience gained through this event will provide skills, which they can use to help build fulfilling long term careers.”

Interestingly, design and architecture job advertisements plunged 17 per cent in the year to February, a fall attributed to the end of major infrastructure projects such as the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.

Ms Banks said the Games appears to have had a significant impact on the Gold Coast unemployment rate.

“In 2011 the region’s unemployment rate was tracking above that of Queensland and Australia as a whole, but as we have moved closer to the event, the Gold Coast’s unemployment rate has fallen substantially below these other regions,” she said.

GOLDOC has hired a total of 1500 workers for the Games, including contract management, engineering, events, finance, logistics, marketing and program management roles.