Shortage of niche skills

A NEW skills shortage is emerging in Australia, warns recruiting experts Hays, but rather than broad industry-wide shortages, which were rampant pre-downturn, today’s demand is far more focused around certain specialist skill sets.

Nick Deligiannis, managing director of Hays in Australia and New Zealand, said the cool-down in the resources sector had marked a change in demand patterns in the labour market.

“During the height of the resources boom, the skills shortage was uncontained within a number of industries,” he said.

“For example, anyone with resources experience was in huge demand, and anyone with accountancy, IT or construction knowledge was of great interest to employers. Today, the skills shortage is much more focused around particular job functions.

“We are not seeing industry or sector-wide shortages.

“Instead, each industry and sector has a list of niche skills that are in short supply.

“Given the demand for these skills, Australia is on the verge of an exceedingly tight labour market for these highly skilled professionals.”

This is supported by findings from the recently released 2014 Hays Global Skills Index, which shows wages in Australia’s highskill industries are rising much faster than in low-skill industries, with wage pressure a strong indicator that employers are competing for highly skilled professionals in high-skill industries.