About the Industry
The construction job industry covers the planning and building of all kinds of structures, including houses, large commercial buildings, mine sites, bridges, tunnels, airports, and roads.
The 5 largest employing sectors in the construction industry are:
- Building services. This covers the design, construction and approval of footings, load bearing structures, electrical and plumbing. It includes engineering, earthworks, scaffolding and trades. Building completion services. This focuses on the final stages of constructions, including finishing touches such as painting and flooring.
- Residential building construction. This may include the construction homes, apartments, and other residential properties.
- Heavy and civil construction. This may include large-scale projects such as highways, dams, and railways, often involving extensive earthmoving and structural work. It also includes developing land for new residential or commercial subdivisions.
- Other construction services. This encompasses a variety of services within the construction industry, such as landscaping, and maintenance.1
Energy in construction
Renewable energy is increasingly being used in the construction industry in Australia. Energy is used to reduce carbon emissions, promote sustainability, reduce environmental impact and lower costs.
More people and businesses are focusing on renewable sources of energy. This is done by putting up solar panels on buildings, maximising natural light, constructing wind turbines, and other things to make energy from nature. When construction businesses choose materials that don’t create a lot of pollution and get those materials from nearby places, they can also reduce their carbon footprint.
Jobs that help with producing clean energy and sustainable construction practices are becoming more sought-after. Construction workers who build with steel (structural steel construction workers) are expected to have a lot more work in the future.2
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet established the Net Zero Economy Agency to ensure the workers, industries and communities can embrace the opportunities of Australia’s transition to net zero emissions.
Work in the construction industry
The industry is projected to grow from 1.29 million in May 2023 to 1.41 million in 2033 (9.5 per cent).3 Despite the projected growth, there is several occupations in national shortage in the construction industry, such as:
- Carpenter
- Construction Rigger
- Civil Technician
- Crane Hoist or Lift Operator
- Earth Moving Plant Operator
- Structural Steel Erector.
Visit the Jobs and Skills Australia website to view the complete list.
Most workers in this industry are aged 38 years and over and work full-time. Women make up 13% of all workers in this industry.4 This could present a good opportunity for more women to enter the workforce.
The Construction industry is the biggest user of apprenticeships and traineeships of any industry. Over the 5 years to December 2020, the Construction industry had 22% of apprenticeship/traineeship commencements.5
As from November 2023, the top employing occupations with the highest number of employees are:
- Carpenters and Joiners
- Construction Managers
- Plumbers
- Painting trades workers.6
Some of the occupations listed above are also predicted to have a strong job growth over the next few years. For more information about occupations visit the Your Career website.
As an employee, you could work in a range of settings which includes:
- Direct employment with a construction firm. You could work on a civil project (e.g. road, rail or a new subdivision) or a large building such as apartments or a hospital. You could also work in residential construction and renovations.
- Self-employment. Subcontracting arrangements are common on building projects. There are a variety of small and medium businesses delivering services including traffic control, trades, scaffolding and fit out.
- Retail. This may include working at a trades store and helping clients source materials.
More information
