November 7, 2018
More than 7900 jobs could be created in the Wide Bay-Burnett by 2022, according to the results of a State Government study.
The Anticipating Future Skills study, by Jobs Queensland, undertook economic modelling in an bid to determine what skills might be required in the workforce, and where new job openings were most likely to occur.
The report modelled three possible scenarios for the next five years:
- Technological Change, which would see a small annual increase in labour productivity across all industries
- Changing workforce, which would see increasing levels of interstate migration, and
- External impact, where the price of coal and iron ore halved
The report found that under all three scenarios, the number of new jobs that could be expected in the Wide Bay-Burnett over the next five years could range between 5835 (worst case) and 7926 (best case).
The report found economic reforms in the 1980s and 1990s – which included increased international competition – led to employment rises in services industries, while work in traditional sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fishing and manufacturing declined.
But technological advances including automation, artificial intelligence and digital disruption would lead to the creation of jobs, the restructuring of many others and the disappearance of some.
Under all three scenarios, jobs in mining, information media and telecommunications were predicted to fall.
But jobs in agriculture, forestry and fishing were projected to expand.
State-wide, the report also found that more than 50 per cent of all new workers were projected to be employed in just three industries: health care and social assistance; professional, scientific and technical services; and education and training.
However, industries that traditionally employed younger workers – such as retail and food services – were expected to experience below-average growth.
The report also found that management and commerce were expected to remain the largest field of education in 2022, followed by health, but the number of people pursuing degrees in education was expected to fall.
- External link: Anticipating Future Skills
