Part 2 of 2: Recruitment outlook to 2021 in the construction and engineering sectors

At CGC Recruitment, we believe that the coming year will see business confidence returning once the health crisis is under control in Australia and momentum returns.

There is a substantial backlog of work and government investment is pre-committed for construction and infrastructure projects. Additionally, the Morrison Government has committed $270 billion to defence spending over the next 10 years.

The timing of this recovery remains outside our control, driven by government decisions on public health and funding for initiatives that will kick-start Australia’s post-COVID economy. But when market conditions improve, with engineering and infrastructure playing key roles in Australia’s economic recovery effort, this will exacerbate skills shortages and the demand for talent will increase.

The government budgetary allocation for shovel-ready projects, road safety works, and roads and community infrastructure, not to mention the fast tracking of large national infrastructure projects, will put further pressure on recruiting and retaining top talent. This is, of course, already an issue for many businesses and many senior personnel will be in particularly high demand across our industry.

For local candidates, skills shortages as the economy recovers and companies need to deliver works with local professionals while our border remains closed, will create excellent career opportunities.

As vaccines are being tested for international rollout – with some countries already administering/planning inoculations – global mobility could become easier. Plus depending on the country of origin, Australia could be an attractive destination for many international candidates.

This could suit large organisations with mobile staff, so competitively domestic SMEs should embrace the opportunities the global talent pool could provide. This presents an opportunity for organisations to strike the right balance of clear recruitment strategy and risk management.

Strategise to come out of this a winner

To come out of this as a winner in 2021, it’s about striking the right balance of having a clear strategy and managing your risk profile appropriately. That includes hiring the best people to help grow your business.

Where are the opportunities going to be for the industry? Where is the government investment going to be? Where is the market telling you that you need to be positioned? What’s the domestic and global availability of key staff? Etc.

Take a holistic view of your business and feed that into your hiring and people management strategies. And where required, work with businesses like CGC Recruitment to add value and manage risk. We have proven hiring systems and processes to help identify, negotiate with, and appoint the right people for industry clients.

In Summary

Many Australian construction and infrastructure projects in development will proceed without major impact, driven by government spending and market appetite.

The federal government is committed to stimulating the economy to get things moving again and infrastructure is identified as a priority within this effort. That stimulus is going to feed into our sectors, and we should be busy off the back of it this calendar year.

Smaller works are going to contribute strongly to this, as nimble local contractors jump in and do a project, then promptly turn over another one. That is where CGC predicts the additional stimulus and additional investment will be achieved, as opposed to just another big, major project.

So, despite timing and COVID-19 factors beyond our industry’s control, we are optimistic. The next six months are looking strong.

About CGC Recruitment

We help client to achieve the best outcomes through recruiting outstanding professionals. Our highly-motivated team of experienced consultants help clients and candidates connect with major projects by bringing in the best talent and opportunities.

If you’re looking for the right team member, get in touch with CGC, and one of our experienced consultants will be happy to help.

If you’re looking for your next career opportunity, you can register with CGC today. Simply complete our online registration, which takes just 30 seconds. Or if you’re looking for something in particular, contact us or search our jobs.

To be involved in projects or to attract candidates that are changing and improving Australia’s infrastructure, connect with CGC today.