Workforce Planning

The building and construction industry is the third largest employer in Queensland, employing over 10% of Queensland's Labour force.  The level of building and construction activity in Queensland (September quarter 2011) was second only to Western Australia, with a value of over $11 billion (seasonally adjusted).  

Queensland's construction industry employs 235,800 persons (November Quarter 2011) with employment up by 4,500 persons or 4.5% on previous August Quarter 2011 employment figures (231,300). The construction sector represents around 10% of Queensland's total workforce with 85.8% employed on a full time basis.

While employment in the building and construction industry is strongly influenced by demand and the economic cycle within the global economy, the industry plays an integral role in contributing directly to the State's economic development, and as a critical enabler through the provision of infrastructure for most other industries to achieve their business goals.  Resource based construction is expected to drive growth in the non-residential sector over the course of 2011/12 and 2012/13, according to the latest Australian Industry Group/Australian Constructors Association Construction Outlook survey (October 2011).  Total turnover from construction work is expected to lift by 13 per cent in 2011/12 and 14.2 per cent in 2012/13.

Prior to several natural disasters in Queensland, the new Coal Seam Gas to Liquefied Natural Gas (CSG/LNG) industry.pdf has been the driver for CSQ’s industry workforce planning.  It is now apparent that the Program Office will need to address the skills and labour requirements associated building and construction in a burgeoning State economy, and the replacement demand for retirements from the workforce over the next decade. These skills requirements are magnified by the fact that Queensland has an above average proportion of workers aged 45 years and over, and a lower proportion of younger people aged 25 years or less. This was compounded by a limited pool of appropriately skilled workers needed to meet this demand and open competition for labour from other high growth industry sectors (Employment Drivers), in particular, mining. 

Although the industry across Australia has a relatively young age profile, the physical nature of the work results in a transition from the trades areas to other roles within the industry, alternative careers, or retirement.  This impacts on the skills and labour requirements in numerous trades.

CSQ has established a Workforce Planning Program Office to develop action plans that ensure an appropriately skilled and productive workforce is available to maximise opportunities from Queensland’s unprecedented number of major projects.

CSQ’s Workforce Planning Program will facilitate a framework for a coordinated and comprehensive suite of strategies to address the issues facing the industry, and will implement a range of projects and initiatives for supporting industry to meet its labour and skills requirements.