New workers expected by industry and occupations most in demand, 2023 to 2026
| Employment (2023) | 520,100 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 83,300 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Ageing and disability carers, registered nurses, nursing support and personal care workers, general clerks, early childhood educators or child carers. |
| Employment (2023) | 309,700 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 46,400 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | University lecturers and tutors, primary school teachers, secondary school teachers, education aides, vocational education teachers. |
| Employment (2023) | 356,500 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 35,000 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Software and applications programmers, solicitors, management and organisation analysts, accountants, information and communication technology managers. |
| Employment (2023) | 216,200 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 32,300 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Waiters, kitchenhands, chefs, bar attendants and baristas, sales assistants (general). |
| Employment (2023) | 265,300 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 24,800 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Production managers, manufacturers, storepersons, metal fitters and machinists, food and drink factory workers. |
| Employment (2023) | 186,200 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 22,700 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Truck drivers, delivery drivers, automobile drivers, storepersons, bus and coach drivers |
| Employment (2023) | 197,800 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 24,800 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | General clerks, police, security officers and guards, intelligence and policy analysts, prison officers. |
| Employment (2023) | 335,200 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 17,400 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Construction managers, electricians, plumbers, painting trades workers, carpenters and joiners. |
| Employment (2023) | 335,300 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 11,700 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Sales assistants (general), storepersons, retail managers, delivery drivers, pharmacists. |
| Employment (2023) | 163,700 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 10,500 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | General clerks, management and organisation analysts, financial investment advisers and managers, software and applications programmers, credit and loans officers. |
| Employment (2023) | 110,300 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 10,000 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Commercial cleaners, domestic cleaners, gardeners, general clerks, human resource professionals. |
| Employment (2023) | 108,800 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 8,300 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Storepersons, importers, exporters and wholesalers, delivery drivers, advertising, public relations and sales managers, general clerks. |
| Employment (2023) | 123,900 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 6,500 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Motor mechanics, beauty therapists, general clerks, ministers of religion, metal fitters and machinists. |
| Employment (2023) | 57, 700 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 5,800 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Real estate sales agents, land economists and valuers, general clerks, other hospitality, retail and service managers, accountants. |
| Employment (2023) | 66,100 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 5,700 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Sports coaches, instructors and officials, visual arts and crafts professionals, music professionals, general clerks, other specialist managers. |
| Employment (2023) | 76,200 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 5,600 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Livestock farmers, crop farmers, mixed crop and livestock farmers, crop farm workers, livestock farm workers. |
| Employment (2023) | 56,400 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 4,000 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Film, television, radio and stage directors, librarians, telecommunications engineering professionals, artistic directors, and media producers and presenters, information and communication technology managers. |
| Employment (2023) | 40,900 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 3,600 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Truck drivers, electrical engineers, other specialist managers, electricians, general clerks. |
| Employment (2023) | 8,600 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 700 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Drillers, miners and shot firers, metal fitters and machinists, production managers, mining engineers, truck drivers. |
| Employment (2023) | 3,534,900 |
|---|---|
| New workers expected (2026) | 352,300 |
| Occupations in demand (top five) | Aged and disabled carers, general clerks, registered nurses, sales assistants (general), software and applications programmers. |
Note: occupations in demand are the top 5 ANZSCO 4 occupations in each industry that are expected to have the highest number of new workers expected between 2023 and 2026.
For a more complete list of occupations in demand for each industry, see the Employment Forecast Dashboard.
New workers expected represents employment growth plus workers needed to replace retirements. New workers expected for the clean economy will be dispersed across multiple industries, including electricity, gas, water and waste services, construction (for new renewable energy generation for example) and manufacturing (for manufacturing electric vehicles for example).
The numbers above do not fully reflect the effects of the staged pre-prep rollout as part of the Best Start Best Life reforms commencing in 2025.
Updated