If you’re looking to move to Melbourne in search of employment, chances are you’re considering some opportunities in the city’s strong services sector. And you’re not alone; over the years, trends have shown an increasing influx of population in major cities as they search for better opportunities draws more people to the state capitals.
While services are the bread and butter industry of Melbourne, you could give a second look at a career in construction instead. Here’s why the city’s construction industry might offer some great new opportunities in the years ahead.
Housing demand is steady
You’ll hear it in most places across the country, but especially in big cities like Melbourne – affordable housing is in short supply. And if you’re relocating to Melbourne for work, this could be a reality you’ll face pretty soon. The price of a property and rental rates in the Central Business District (CBD) can be steep. You’ll find better options on land for sale in the west of Melbourne; a few kilometres drive away from the CBD.
This scenario only underscores the steady demand for quality housing options throughout the region. Although 2019 saw a downturn in the industry due to oversupply and tighter lending rates, a new equilibrium is projected to establish in 2020 ensuring that construction work goes to the correct types and volume of new housing projects, allowing more Australians to realise their dream of purchasing a property.
Construction is forecast to grow
Infrastructure is now seen to drive the Australian construction industry in the years to come. The government is investing considerably in transportation infrastructure projects over the next 10 years to serve a growing population which is expected to hit 41 million in 2050. There will be plenty of job openings in the industry over the coming years and excellent potential for growth.
On a local level, Melbourne residents will be looking forward to improvements in transportation. The city’s economy is strongly rooted in services; 2017 data for trends over the last several years show that the services sector, led by financial and insurance services, dominates the Melbourne economy in terms of economic output and number of jobs. Yet while the construction industry doesn’t even crack the top 15 in either category, it’s at number 10 in terms of yearly growth in a number of jobs – a number that will only rise as the local outlook improves.
The industry is opening up to diversity
Even though about one in ten jobs across Victoria are in construction, only 2% of the workforce is comprised of women. It’s a staggering disproportion that is set to be remedied as the government invests in a long-term strategy to bring women into the industry.
As perceptions change and the workforce broadens, more training and increasing inclusivity will improve morale and allow more skilled workers to come in and fulfil the various tasks – not just physically challenging ones, but upper-level project planning and management work. This can be an exciting time to enter the construction industry, helping to bring about change and find extra fulfilment in your job.
If you’re looking for a challenge and something unexpected, then getting into construction work in Melbourne could present you with an unexpectedly rewarding career path at a time when long term changes are being made, both in infrastructure and the industry’s perceptions.
