Excerpted from the Australia Guide

Engineering skills are the most needed throughout the entire Asia Pacific region. The boom in the mining resources sector is driving much of the job growth for engineers in Australia, but other sectors, including construction and manufacturing, are also seeking talented professionals.

Hiring Trends

Contractors

A growing trend in the employment of professional engineers is to practice as contractors. Employers are making greater use of contractors to meet peak workloads or for specific projects or tasks. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly 20 percent of the workforce is now engaged in non-standard work arrangements, with professionals working as independent contractors or consultants among the fastest-growing group...

Mining and Resources

Driven by China’s demand for resources, Australia’s mining and resources industry is booming. Annual growth of iron ore production is expected to be almost 9 percent per year and coal production 6.5 percent for the next five years. Australia’s strong growth potential and high-quality infrastructure have attracted some of the leading companies in the global mining industry, including BHP Billiton, Newcrest Mining, Rio Tinto, Norilsk Nickel and Xstrata.

Salaries

Engineers’ salaries continue their steady upward trend, according to the most recent survey by the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA). The survey reported an average annual increase in professional engineer salaries of 4.6 percent last year. Not surprisingly, salaries in the private sector saw a faster rate of increase than those in the public sector. Engineers in Tasmania and Western Australia saw the highest increases, as did chemical engineers.

Manufacturing operations professionals will likely receive average salary increases of 3 to 4 percent this year, based on performance, according to Michael Page. Engineering professionals with experience in the mining, resources, and oil and gas sectors are expected to receive higher salary increases, and top performers will likely receive bonuses as a retention strategy.

Organizations and Trade Associations

Association of Consulting Engineers Australia (ACEA)
http://www.consultaustralia.com.au/
The ACEA represents Australian firms that provide technology-based consulting services to government and private sector clients in Australia and more than 40 other countries. It covers the fields of building, infrastructure, oil and gas, transportation, mining, communications and IT, agriculture, food processing and manufacturing.

Consult Australia
Mail: GPO Box 56
Sydney NSW 2001, Australia
Location: Level 6, 50 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 (2) 9922 4711
Fax: +61 (2) 9957 2484
Email: info@consultaustralia.com.au

Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA)
http://www.apesma.asn.au/
APESMA is the largest national non-profit organization representing professional employees in Australia, including engineers, scientists, managers, architects, IT professionals, pharmacists, veterinarians and surveyors. The APESMA website provides industry news, career services and publications.

APESMA
Mail: GPO Box 1272
Melbourne, Victoria 8060
Location: 163 Eastern Road
South Melbourne, Victoria 3205
Tel: +61 3 9695 8800
Fax: +61 3 9695 8902
Email: info@apesma.asn.au

This is just a short sample of what you’ll find in over 100 pages of information in the Australia Guide.