The accommodation and food services industry is projected to have 21,200 new workers enter the workforce by 2028.
Workforce projections: 3-year and 10-year outlook
Workforce projections – industry
Time period | Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Share | No. | Share | ||
2025 to 2028 | 9,100 | 43% | 12,100 | 57% | 21,200 |
2025 to 2035 | 45,300 | 51% | 42,800 | 49% | 88,000 |
Workforce projections – Victoria
Time period | Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Share | No. | Share | ||
2025 to 2028 | 143,000 | 38% | 230,000 | 62% | 373,000 |
2025 to 2035 | 650,000 | 45% | 804,000 | 55% | 1,454,000 |
Note: Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
New workers expected⁵ (2025-28) by industry subdivision
Industry subdivision | Number of workers | VET | Higher education | No post-school qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Food and beverage services | 17,300 | 24% | 17% | 59% |
Accommodation | 3,900 | 33% | 30% | 37% |
Occupations with high new workers expected⁵ (2025-28), with direct TAFE study pathways⁶
Occupation | New workers expected5 | TAFE pathways into occupation6 | Available under Free TAFE7 |
|---|---|---|---|
Chefs | 3,540 | Certificate III in Commercial Cookery | ✓ |
Certificate IV in Kitchen Management | ✓ | ||
Certificate III in Catering | - | ||
Waiters | 2,560 | Certificate III in Hospitality | ✓ |
Certificate II in Hospitality | - | ||
Certificate IV in Hospitality | - | ||
Bar attendants and baristas | 1,790 | Certificate III in Hospitality | ✓ |
Certificate II in Hospitality | - | ||
Certificate IV in Hospitality | - | ||
Cafe and restaurant managers | 1,410 | Certificate IV in Hospitality | - |
Diploma of Hospitality Management | ✓ | ||
Hotel and motel managers | 880 | Higher education qualification required | - |
Inner Metropolitan (within metropolitan Melbourne) and Barwon (within regional Victoria) are expecting the highest share of new workers
New workers expected⁵ for accommodation and food services, by region⁸, 2025-2028
New workers expected – industry
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Industry | 9,100 | 12,100 | 21,200 | 6% |
New workers expected – Metropolitan Melbourne
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Metropolitan Melbourne | 7,500 | 8,900 | 16,400 | 77% |
Inner metropolitan | 2,300 | 2,200 | 4,500 | 27% |
Western metropolitan | 1,900 | 1,300 | 3,200 | 20% |
Northern metropolitan | 1,400 | 1,400 | 2,800 | 17% |
Southern metropolitan | 870 | 1,600 | 2,400 | 15% |
Eastern metropolitan | 620 | 1,400 | 2,000 | 12% |
Inner south-east metropolitan | 430 | 1,100 | 1,500 | 9% |
New workers expected – Regional Victoria
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Regional Victoria | 1,600 | 3,200 | 4,800 | 23% |
Barwon | 600 | 720 | 1,300 | 28% |
Gippsland | 250 | 540 | 790 | 17% |
Loddon Campaspe | 260 | 450 | 700 | 15% |
Central Highlands | 250 | 400 | 650 | 14% |
Ovens Murray | 200 | 360 | 570 | 12% |
Goulburn | 110 | 240 | 350 | 7% |
Great South Coast | -30 | 230 | 200 | 4% |
Mallee | -40 | 180 | 140 | 3% |
Wimmera Southern Mallee | -20 | 90 | 70 | 2% |
Note: Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
- 77 per cent of the new workers expected for the industry will be located within metropolitan Melbourne, with Inner metropolitan and Western metropolitan with the highest share of new workers.
- 23 per cent of the new workers expected for the industry will be located within regional Victoria, with Barwon and Gippsland with the highest share of new workers.
Updated