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Job growth to stay high

THE COMING months are set to be an excellent time if you are looking for almost any type of job anywhere in Australia.
Workers remained in a prime position as demand for labour stayed strong - fuelling expectations that the jobless rate will continue around 14 year lows, according to latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Trades needing workers include motor mechanic, retail assistant, IT systems analyst and aircraft maintenance engineer, all of which have remarkably good employment prospects this year.
Kate Southam, editor of on-line job service CareerOne.com.au, said there was high demand in these sectors and an expected jump in the number of advertisements would boost prospects for job hunters.
Economists attributed the strong lift to private sector demand.
With job advertisements on the rise, a robust economy could accelerate growth in the retail and manufacturing sectors.
Among other sought-after employees this year will be wine makers, weight-loss consultants, tour guides, air conditioning mechanics, teachers of English as a second language, mechanics, IT workers and retail assistants, according to federal Department of Employment research.
Information from the Queensland Treasury also points to manufacturing, construction, communication, wholesale and retail trade and the fields of business services, education and health and community as high growth areas for employment.
Retail Traders Association, executive director Ian Baldock said discount stores would absorb the bulk of employment and sales growth in the sector in 2004.
"Retail is performing so strongly because of people's confidence in the economy. The only question mark is whether there will he more interest rate rises," Mr Baldock said.
Australian Industry Group Queensland director Andrew Craig predicted a boom in the manufacturing sector for highly skilled positions in the aerospace and avionics fields.
And, whether you're seeking temporary work or making a strategic career move, there are seemingly more positions than usual on offer this year - and, they're often going within days.
Marie Stockley, from recruitment firm Adecco, says she can't remember a time as busy as this one in years.
"It's going to be a big one," she says. "We'll probably place more permanent jobs this month than we have in quite a while."
Job seekers should be prepared to respond to job ads quickly this year, as Adecco says its positions are being filled rapidly.
"When clients list with us, the average placement time is seven to 10 days but at the moment it's three to four," Miss Sockley said. "Jobseekers should be completely upfront and honest about what they want because companies are willing to move very quickly," she warned.
She says the hot jobs for 2004 - as far as Adecco is concerned - are in permanent retail, sales and administrative support roles.
"Last year when there was a downturn in business these were the people who were made redundant, but more and more sales teams are being started up now because business is thriving."
Jacqui Whyatt, general manager of recruitment services at Chandler Macleod Group, echoes Adecco's confidence in the 2004 job market.
"Job vacancies have increased significantly this year," she says.
Miss Whiatt says Chandler Macleod Group, which specialises in middle management executive roles, is seeing significant job growth in sales and marketing, financial services, accounting and call centres positions.
She predicts the retail, health and tourism sectors will also be large employers in most states because of the positive economic outlook, ageing population and a rebound in international tourism.
"Companies are more confident about having permanent appointments, which indicates there's optimism that there'll be a long-term recovery," she says.
"It won't be a short-term thing."