ANZSCO 2333-11
Electrical Engineer
Queensland
April 2016
Current labour market rating
No Shortage
Previous labour market rating (June 2015)
No Shortage
Comments
This year, employers filled the majority of vacancies for electrical engineers with little difficulty.
Respondents reported higher numbers of suitable applicants per vacancy than that reported last year
due to the decreased activity in the resources sector and lack of any major civil infrastructure projects
across the state.
Survey results
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Vacancies for electrical engineers were located in the private sector across a number of industries
including manufacturing, electricity and water, engineering consultancies and construction.
Employers sought electrical engineers with experience across a number of diverse practices
including systems engineering, control systems, instrumentation, asset management and
contracting.
o Almost one-third of employers required electrical engineers with Registered Professional
Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) endorsements.
This year, 73 per cent of vacancies for electrical engineers were filled within six weeks of
advertising, somewhat lower that the 100 per cent fill rate of last year.
Overall, there were 43.3 applicants per vacancy this year, compared with 52.8 applicants in last
year’s survey.
o There were more than twice as many applicants per regional vacancy (62.4) than per
metropolitan vacancy (27.3).
o Around 70 per cent of all employers contacted in this year’s survey reported receiving more
than 20 applications per vacancy.
Employers reported 81.3 per cent of all applicants were qualified electrical engineers.
o The average number of qualified applicants per regional vacancy was (46.4) almost double the
figure recorded for metropolitan vacancies (25.7), although this variance was partially
attributed to the high number of applicants for regional graduate positions.
There were 8.5 suitable applicants per vacancy, compared with 1.6 suitable applicants reported in
2014.
o The average number of suitable applicants per metropolitan vacancy (9.8) was slightly higher
than per regional vacancy (7).
Around 20 per cent of employers advised that their vacancies attracted no applicants.
Labour Economics Office Queensland
Department of Employment
Unsuitable applicants
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Around 19 per cent of applicants were not qualified; this figure included other professions such as
mechanical engineers.
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The proportion of qualified applicants who were unsuitable (58 per cent) differed greatly between
metropolitan and regional areas.
o Employers in regional areas considered 41 per cent of qualified applicants unsuitable, while 91
per cent of applicants were considered unsuitable for metropolitan vacancies.
The majority of applicants were considered unsuitable due to a lack of experience.
o Some applicants did not have the requisite length of experience that employers sought while
other applicants lacked particular experience or skills such as management, consultancy,
telecommunications, imbedded systems development or building services.
o Other applicants were considered over-qualified, while some applicants for managerial
positions lacked the hands-on experience required by employers.
Many applicants did not have RPEQ endorsements.
Employers also did not consider applicants if they were deemed an unsuitable cultural fit with the
employing organisation.
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Demand and supply trends
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Electrical engineers are employed primarily in engineering design and consultancy services,
electricity distribution and transmission and electrical services.
The Department of Employment’s Internet Vacancy Index for Queensland shows that the number of
internet vacancies for electrical engineers advertised has been decreasing and is currently at its
lowest level.1
Labour Force Survey figures indicate that over the last 12 months, persons employed as electrical
engineers in Queensland fell by about 5.3 per cent.2
The most recent Counts of Australian Businesses show that the number of Engineering Design and
Engineering Consulting Services with one or more employees increased by 2.5 per cent between
2013-14 and 2014-15.3
Formal entry to this profession is via the completion of a four-year Bachelor of Engineering
(Electrical) degree.
o Electrical engineers who are not working under the supervision of a RPEQ must be registered
with the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland.
o As of 26 May 2016, there were 1801 electrical engineers residing in Queensland and registered
with the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland.4
1
Department of Employment, Labour Market information Portal, Vacancy Report, 12 month average, May 2016
ABS, 6291.0.55.003 - Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, February 2016, four quarter average
3
8165.02 Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, Jun 2011 to Jun 2015
4
Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland, Search Register, June 2015,
http://www.bpeq.qld.gov.au/imis15/BPEQ/Finding_an_RPEQ/Search_Register/BPEQ/Navigation/SearchRegister/Directory.a
spx?hkey=0914fde4-8f61-4cf5-97a3-c477456e8e0f
2
Labour Economics Office Queensland
Department of Employment
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Exact commencement numbers for these courses are not available as some universities offer a year
of general engineering study before students select a discipline. Figures available from the
Department of Education and Training show that the number of students commencing electrical
engineering bachelor degrees in Queensland in 2014 was 77, an increase of 54 per cent on the
previous year. 5
Figures from the Department of Education and Training show completions for civil engineering
degrees in 2014 were 123, up 39.5 per cent from the average in the previous five years.6
Information provided by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection indicates that
overseas migration has continued to decrease as a source of supply to this occupation since 201112.
5
Department of Education and Training, Higher Education Student Data Collection, 2014, customised tables
I Department of Education and Training, Higher Education Student Data Collection, 2014, customised tables (Couse
Specialisation)
6
Labour Economics Office Queensland
Department of Employment