Engineers in Short Supply in Western Australia

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The Western Australia State Priority Occupation List was released this week showing engineers and engineering professionals are still in high demand. The list is used to help guide funding for training programs and to assist state sponsored migration. Overall the State Priority Occupation List is important to workforce planning. Because Western Australia is home to so many mining jobs and oil and gas careers, the occupations included on the list reflect the needs of the Australian resources industry.

Engineering professionals in high demand

Training and Workforce Development Minister Murray Cowper spoke to the skills shortages in Western Australia and the continued demand for skilled workers.

“Of the 339 occupations identified, more than 70 per cent are managers, professionals, technicians and trade workers, underscoring the need for high-level skills and training in the WA workforce,” he explained.

“Each occupation is ranked as a State Priority 1, State Priority 2 or an Industry Training Council-identified priority, with nurses, engineers and childcare workers among those jobs currently experiencing peak demand.” 

                                      

The engineering jobs in greatest demand touch nearly every discipline in the profession including:

• Chemical engineer
• Civil engineer    
• Geotechnical engineer
• Electrical engineer    
• Electronics engineer    
• Mechanical engineer    
• Production or plant engineer    
• Mining engineer
• Petroleum engineer

Complementary or support roles to the engineering function are also in high demand with the following occupations appearing on the state priority list:

• Civil engineering draftsperson    
• Civil engineering technician    
• Electrical engineering draftsperson    
• Electrical engineering
• Electronic engineering draftsperson    
• Electronic engineering
• Mechanical engineering draftsperson
• Mechanical engineering technician
• Metallurgical or materials technician    
• Mine deputy    
• Telecommunications network planner    
• Telecommunications technical officer or technologist    
• Chemist       
• Geologist       
• Metallurgist 

What this means for jobseekers

Western Australia is looking for engineering professionals to work in mining jobs or find careers with oil companies. The Western Australia State Priority Occupation List is a key indicator to the occupations in high demand by employers in the Australian resources industry. If you’re an engineering professional, why not consider coming to Western Australia to work?                        

Have you considered becoming an engineer?

•  NT Resources Week is 18-20 September combining two industry conferences: South East Asia Australia Offshore Conference (SEAAOC) and Mining the Territory. You can attend the NT Resources Week Exhibition FREE of charge.

• If you’re interested in engineering jobs or engineering professionals, visit our industry jobs board where we only advertise real jobs by real employers.

• You can now subscribe to our blog and newsletter from one handy form.We’re publishing new information all the time about employment in the Australian resource industry.