ANZSCO 3223-13
Welder (First Class)
Victoria
December 2014
Current labour market rating
No Shortage
Previous labour market rating (August 2013)
No Shortage
Comments
There continues to be no shortage for this occupation in Victoria. Employers were able to fill most of the
surveyed vacancies with qualified, experienced and skilled first class level welders.
Survey results
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The Department of Employment Survey of Employers who have Recently Advertised (SERA) found
that overall, 89 per cent of surveyed welder (first class) vacancies were filled, compared to the 2013
fill rate of 73 per cent:
o There were approximately 36.8 applicants on average per vacancy, of which 2.1 applicants
were identified as suitable (in comparison to 68.9 and 1.7 respectively for 2013).
o Employers in regional areas experienced a higher fill rate than metropolitan vacancies (with
100 per cent of vacancies filled compared to 88 per cent) as well as higher numbers of
applicants and suitable applicants on average per vacancy (with 45.5 and 2.5 respectively,
compared to 35.7 and 2.0 in metropolitan areas).
Surveyed vacancies were primarily related to roles involving large scale commercial and
infrastructure construction, as well as a variety of sectors within the manufacturing and agricultural
industries.
All employers were seeking experienced and qualified first class welders. MIG welding certificates
were commonly sought across the majority of vacancies, while additional demand for TIG, OXY and
ARC welding certificates were more likely to be particularised to individual roles.
A minimum of 2 to 3 years of previous trade level experience in a related role was generally
considered by employers to be critical due to the wide variation in welding skill-sets called for by
different industries (such as structural engineering, manufacturing production, agricultural
equipment service and repairs and industrial engineering) and the types of material being used
(such as stainless steel, sheetmetal, light and heavy gauge steel, carbon steel and aluminium).
More broadly, employers required applicants to have a strong understanding of Workplace Health
and Safety (WHS) principles and the ability to read and interpret technical drawings. Additionally,
most employers desired applicants to hold a current drivers licence and have their own transport as
well as basic hand tools and personal protection equipment (such as welding masks and gloves).
First Aid Certification and Forklift Licences were also regarded as highly desirable.
The primary reason vacancies remained unfilled was due to suitable applicants rejecting wage offers
or gaining alternate employment.
Labour Economics Office Victoria
Department of Employment
Unsuitable applicants
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While 47 per cent of applicants were qualified, only 6 per cent of the total applicant pool was
considered suitable.
The main reason for applicant unsuitability was a lack of relevant first class level welding
certificates, followed by a lack of experience and associated trade skill-sets in a previous related role
(including the industry area and particular material types).
Other significant reasons were related to a lack of broader employability skills with employers
noting they placed particularly high expectations upon reliability and work ethic.
Demand and supply trends
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Demand for first class welders is strongly influenced by activity in the construction and
manufacturing industries1.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data shows that non-residential construction in Victoria grew
by 5.8 per cent in the year to June 2014, following a decrease of 2.3 per cent the previous year.
Engineering construction decreased by 7.2 per cent in the year to June 2014 and follows a decrease
of 9.0 per cent in the previous year2.
For the manufacturing industry, a range of conditional pressures (such as the persistently high
Australian dollar and increasing global competition) have resulted in an ongoing industry drive to
lower costs and improve productivity; these conditions have impacted demand for manufacturing
workers within the Victorian sector particularly, which in 2012-13 experienced a 4.2 per cent decline
in employment levels (following on from a 1.6 per cent decline in 2011-12)3.
Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) data shows that in the year to December 2014, the number of online
advertisements for Victorian structural steel workers declined by 12 per cent, which is also 28 per
cent lower in comparison to the five year average of online advertisements for this trade.4
Apprenticeship training completions in courses relevant to the welder occupation in Victoria for
2013-14 rose by 22 per cent to 505; by comparison, completions have averaged 529 per annum
over the last ten years5.
Supply to the trade is largely domestic as 457 visas continue to be a negligible source of first class
welders in Victoria, averaging only 32 persons per annum over the last five years6.
1
ABS, Labour Force Survey, annual average 2013
ABS, cat. no. 8755.0, Construction Work Done, Tables 04 and 08, Chain Volume Measures, States and Territories, Sept. 2014
3
ABS, cat. no. 8155.0, Manufacturing Industry, Table 02. States, Territories & Australia by ANZSIC Subdivision, 2012-13
4
Department of Employment, Internet Vacancy Index (IVI), December 2014, 12 month moving average
5
National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Apprentices and Trainees, November 2014, estimates
6
Department of Immigration and Border Protection, 457 visas granted 2013-14, June 2014
2
Labour Economics Office Victoria
Department of Employment