Electronic Instrument Trades Worker
Australia
ANZSCO 3423-14, 15
November 2016
Current labour market rating
No Shortage
Previous labour market rating (November 2015)
No Shortage
The research did not identify any recruitment issues in this labour market. Employers attract very large
numbers of applicants and fill their vacancies with ease.1
Survey results2
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All vacancies were readily filled.
Shortages have not been evident in this labour market since 2011, and in 2016 there were larger
numbers of applicants and suitable applicants than at any time in the series (Figure 1).
All employers attracted multiple applicants and some received more than 100.
Some employers commented that they filled vacancies with ease due to attracting large fields of
applicants or attracting the strongest fields (in terms of quality) of applicants ever.
Figure 1: Proportion of vacancies filled (%), average number of applicants and suitable applicants per
vacancy (no.), Electronic Instrument Trades Worker, 2008 to 2016
Source: Department of Employment, Survey of Employers who have Recently Advertised
Key to ratings: D = Recruitment difficulty NS = No shortage S = Shortage N/A = Not available
1
Department of Employment, Historical List of Skill Shortages in Australia
The methodology underpinning this research is outlined at Skill Shortage Research Methodology | Department of
Employment - Document library, Australian Government and can also be accessed by the QR code
2
Labour Market Research and Analysis Branch
Department of Employment
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Although only 40 per cent of applicants were qualified, there were more than adequate numbers of
suitable candidates.
There were 7.3 qualified applicants, on average, per vacancy of whom 5.3 were considered to be
suitable.
Almost half of the surveyed employers were in the Mining industry. In line with this, a significant
proportion of the identified vacancies were located in the resource states of Western Australia and
Queensland.
Other vacancies were in the Manufacturing and Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
industries.
More than two thirds of vacancies were in regional areas where employers generally offered fly-in
fly-out (FIFO) or drive-in drive-out (DIDO) arrangements.
Employers offering FIFO or DIDO (all of whom were in Queensland and Western Australia)
attracted more than twice as many applicants as those who did not offer this option.
On average, there were almost three times as many suitable applicants per regional vacancy
than there were for metropolitan vacancies (6.7 and 2.3, respectively).
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Employers’ requirements
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More than three quarters of employers sought applicants with dual trade electrician and
instrumentation qualifications, generally with relevant state or territory electrical licences.
All surveyed employers required applicants with relevant instrumentation experience.
More than 70 per cent wanted experience in a particular industry such as Mining, Manufacturing
or Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services.
More than one third were seeking applicants with a minimum of three years experience.
A small number of employers required applicants with experience in particular control systems
and calibration software such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) and Distributed Control
Systems (DCS).
Other employer requirements included first aid training, leadership skills, an Elevated Work
Platform licence, an Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas licence and low voltage rescue
training.
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Unsuitable applicants
 Many applicants were considered to be unsuitable because they did not have dual trade
qualifications or because they had insufficient relevant industry experience, including in
specialisations such as PLC, DCS and valve control.
 Other reasons included poor communication skills and a lack of understanding of workplace health
and safety obligations.
Demand and supply trends
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3
More than 40 per cent of electronic instrument trades workers are employed in Public
Administration and Safety and over one third are in Manufacturing, Mining, Construction or
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services.3
ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011
Labour Market Research and Analysis Branch
Department of Employment
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Demand for electronic instrument trades workers has been influenced by activity within Mining.
This has weakened as the Mining industry has transitioned from an investment phase to a
production and export phase, making it less labour intensive.
Consistent with this, the labour market for electronic instrument trades workers is softer than it
was five years ago.
Employers noted that subdued activity in Mining has led to fewer employment opportunities
and, as a result, larger fields of suitably qualified candidates per vacancy.
Entry into this occupation is generally through the completion of a dual trade qualification. This
often includes either a Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician (undertaken as part of an
apprenticeship) or a Certificate III in Instrumentation and Control (available for completion either as
part of an apprenticeship or through non-apprenticeship courses).
Additional certificate III or IV level qualifications are often completed as part of the dual trade.
Commencements have been lower over the past few years, possibly reflecting lower demand
from the Mining industry.4 The number of completions, though, has risen over the last three
years (Figure 2).5
Figure 2: Apprentice and trainee commencements and completions, Electronic Instrument Trades
Worker, Australia, 2011 to 2016 (year to March)
Source: NCVER, Apprentices and Trainees, March 2016, estimates (certificate III and IV)
Outlook
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4
5
Although most employment is in Public Administration and Safety, soft demand from the Mining
industry is expected to continue to have a major effect on this labour market, and it is unlikely that
shortages will re-emerge in the short term.
NCVER, Apprentices and Trainees, March 2016, estimates (certificate III and IV)
ibid
Labour Market Research and Analysis Branch
Department of Employment