Survey of Employers’ Recruitment Experiences in Mackay In February 2015 the Department of Employment conducted a Survey of Employers’ Recruitment Experiences in Mackay. The results highlight that recruitment conditions have deteriorated considerably since the region was last surveyed. Unemployment Participation Recruitment activity Unemployment 2 year Participation 2 year Annual vacancies Annual vacancies rate (%) change rate (%) change per 100 staff (2010) per 100 staff (2015) 7.9% 4.0 %pts 68.4% -5.7 %pts 30 13 The unemployment rate in Mackay increased from Recruitment expectations are subdued 3.9 per cent to 7.9 per cent in the two years to Recruitment expectations in Mackay are subdued October 2015. Over the same period the participation with only 25 per cent of employers expecting to rate decreased by 5.7 percentage points to recruit in the 12 months following the survey, 68.4 per cent, although it remains higher than for compared with 69 per cent in the previous survey. Australia (65.0 per cent). Mining employment also Employers’ greatest future concern was decreased by 2,900 in the two years to August 2015. overwhelmingly the economy and the demand for Recruitment activity has decreased their goods and services (Chart 2). The annual recruitment rate has fallen from Chart 2: Greatest future concern 30 vacancies per 100 staff in 2010 to a very low 13 vacancies in 2015. Some 46 per cent of employers also reported reducing staff numbers in the The Mackay region will be surveyed by the 12 months prior to the survey. department again in 2016. Many industries experienced large decreases in recruitment activity, particularly Manufacturing and Construction, noting that these industries are closely linked with mining operations. On the other hand, recruitment in the Education and Training, and Health Care and Social Assistance industries remained relatively stable (Chart 1). Chart 1: Vacancies per 100 staff Competition for vacancies has increased Consistent with the significant decrease in recruitment activity, average applicant numbers have doubled (Figure 1). The proportion of employers reporting recruitment difficulty also more than halved from 54 per cent to only 21 per cent. Figure 1: Average number of applicants per vacancy 2010 2015
Survey of Employers’ Recruitment Experiences in Mackay In February 2015 the Department of Employment conducted a Survey of Employers’ Recruitment Experiences in Mackay. The results highlight that recruitment conditions have deteriorated considerably since the region was last surveyed. Unemployment Participation Recruitment activity Unemployment rate (%) 2 year change Participation rate (%) 2 year change Annual vacancies per 100 staff (2010) Annual vacancies per 100 staff (2015) 7.9% 4.0 %pts 68.4% -5.7 %pts 30 13 The unemployment rate in Mackay increased from 3.9 per cent to 7.9 per cent in the two years to October 2015. Over the same period the participation rate decreased by 5.7 percentage points to 68.4 per cent, although it remains higher than for Australia (65.0 per cent). Mining employment also decreased by 2,900 in the two years to August 2015. Recruitment activity has decreased The annual recruitment rate has fallen from 30 vacancies per 100 staff in 2010 to a very low 13 vacancies in 2015. Some 46 per cent of employers also reported reducing staff numbers in the 12 months prior to the survey. Many industries experienced large decreases in recruitment activity, particularly Manufacturing and Construction, noting that these industries are closely linked with mining operations. On the other hand, recruitment in the Education and Training, and Health Care and Social Assistance industries remained relatively stable (Chart 1). Chart 1: Vacancies per 100 staff Competition for vacancies has increased Consistent with the significant decrease in recruitment activity, average applicant numbers have doubled (Figure 1). The proportion of employers reporting recruitment difficulty also more than halved from 54 per cent to only 21 per cent. Figure 1: Average number of applicants per vacancy 2010 2015 Recruitment expectations are subdued Recruitment expectations in Mackay are subdued with only 25 per cent of employers expecting to recruit in the 12 months following the survey, compared with 69 per cent in the previous survey. Employers’ greatest future concern was overwhelmingly the economy and the demand for their goods and services (Chart 2). Chart 2: Greatest future concern The Mackay region will be surveyed by the department again in 2016.
survey_of_employers_recruitment_experiences_in_mackay.docx