Employment snapshot
Employment levels have fluctuated between 2001 and 2021 across the different sectors of the Metal, Engineering and Boating industry. Over this 20-year trend, overall employment levels fell in many of the sectors, particularly in Transport Equipment Manufacturing, and less so in Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing, Primary Metal and Metal Product Manufacturing and Machinery and Equipment Repair and Maintenance. Employment levels grew overall in Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing, however projections to 2025 indicate they will decline. Employment levels between 2021 and 2025 are projected to grow in Primary Metal and Metal Product Manufacturing.
It is worth noting industry employment numbers do not represent all those employed in metals and engineering as they are also employed across other industry sectors.
Looking specifically at VET-related occupations, employment projections for most occupations in the Transport Equipment Manufacturing sector indicate levels will grow between 2021 and 2025, except in the Boat Builders and Shipwrights occupation group, which is projected to remain relatively stable.
Employment levels in a couple of Machinery Equipment Repair and Maintenance-related occupations are predicted to increase between 2021 and 2025, with the largest increase (approximately 7%) projected for Electricians, followed by Metal Fitters and Machinists (approximately 5%) and Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers (approximately 2%). In other sector-related occupations, employment levels are projected to remain relatively stable or decrease slightly.
Similarly, employment levels of Electricians, Metal Fitters and Machinists and Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers are projected to grow between 2021 and 2025 in the Primary Metal and Metal Product Manufacturing sector. It is projected employment levels will remain relatively stable to 2025 in Metal Engineering Process Workers and no change in the level of Sheetmetal Trades Workers. A small decline of 2% is projected in the employment levels of Engineering Production Workers, which make up the highest proportion of this sector’s total workforce.
In the Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing sector, employment levels between 2021 and 2025 are projected to grown in Metal Fitters and Machinists (approximately 5%) and Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers (about 2%). Projections indicate employment levels will remain relatively stable for Metal Engineering Process Workers, Industrial Spraypainters, Production Managers and Product Assemblers. A small decline (2%) is projected in the level of Engineering Production Workers.
Within the Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing sector and as in other sectors, employment levels to 2025 are projected to grow for Electricians (approximately 7%), Metal Fitters and Machinists (about 5%) and Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers (approximately 2%). Employment levels in other occupations in this sector are projected to remain relatively stable.