As university students return to lecture halls in 2021, IBISWorld has highlighted key industries that are likely to provide significant employment opportunities in the years ahead. Qualified and highly experienced workers will be at the forefront of employment trends, with Salt, Lithium and Other Mineral Mining, Digital Advertising Agencies, Organic Farming, Online Food Ordering and Delivery Platforms and Performing Arts Venues forecast to report strong employment growth over the next five years.
‘The employment change in these industries highlights the rapidly changing makeup of the Australian economy. The national unemployment rate is expected to peak at an average 7.7% in 2020-21, before gradually declining to 6.2% in 2025-26,’ said IBISWorld Senior Industry Analyst Suzy Oo.
Salt, Lithium and Other Mineral Mining
Revenue and employment in the Salt, Lithium and Other Mineral Mining industry are expected to fall by 8.4% and 7.3%, respectively, in 2020-21. However, revenue across the industry is expected to rise at an annualised 14.4% over the five years through 2025-26, as a push towards net-zero emissions by 2050 fuels demand for lithium ore. The transition towards electric and hybrid cars, which use batteries manufactured from lithium, is expected to accelerate over the next five years.
‘The manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, used in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage systems and smartphones and tablets, requires chemical-grade lithium concentrates, and as the world’s largest lithium producer, Australia is expected to benefit from rising electric vehicle demand in the coming years,’ explained Ms Oo.
A rise in spodumene production volumes is projected to support the Salt, Lithium and Other Mineral Mining industry’s employment over the five years through 2025-26, which is forecast to rise at an annualised rate of 9.0%., to over 5,500 workers. To pursue productivity gains, industry operators are projected to hire certified workers from engineering, science and geology backgrounds, such as geotechnical engineers, process plant operators, laboratory technicians and environmental consultants.
Digital Advertising Agencies
Employment in the Digital Advertising Agencies industry is expected to rise by 6.9% in 2020-21, in line with revenue growth of 9.2%. This trend follows a shift towards online shopping, which has driven demand for mobile advertising and social media marketing and management.
‘Many Australians are constantly attached to their smartphones, tablets and other devices, and this provides a lucrative opportunity for businesses to market their products and brands through paid ads on social media platforms. However, developing an effective marketing campaign and remaining consistent across all media can be difficult for businesses to manage, raising the need to outsource their marketing requirements to digital advertising agencies,’ said Ms Oo.
Industry employment is projected to grow at an annualised 8.7% over the next five years, to approximately 14,000 workers, as operators increasingly hire digital marketing specialists, content coordinators and UI/UX designers to meet higher demand. Ongoing advancements in social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube will likely require experienced staff that can design marketing materials compatible with these channels.
Organic Farming
Rising health consciousness and an increase in public concern surrounding environmental issues are driving demand for organic farming, with industry revenue expected to rise by 7.9% in 2020-21, to total $2.0 billion. Organic farmers produce a range of products, including beef, fruit, vegetables and poultry, free from artificial chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers and genetically modified organisms.
‘Advancements in organic food supply chains and high profit margins will likely prompt conventional farmers to venture towards organic production over the next five years. As a result, employment opportunities for agriculture technicians, agronomists and sustainability coordinators are projected to emerge, with industry employment forecast to increase at an annualised 8.2% over the five years through 2025-26, to over 8,000,’ noted Ms Oo.
Despite strong industry revenue growth, changing border restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are interfering with interstate relocation for work. Nevertheless, employment in the Organic Farming industry is expected to grow by 6.6% over the current year.
Online Food Ordering and Delivery Platforms
The Online Food Ordering and Delivery Platforms industry’s employment is projected to expand at an annualised 8.2% over the five years through 2025-26, to almost 1,100 workers. The COVID-19 lockdown periods have led to an accelerated uptake of online food delivery services among consumers, contributing to revenue growth of 12.1% in 2020-21, to $847.9 million.
‘Greater demand from the Restaurants and Fast Food and Takeaway Food Services industries and rising real household discretionary incomes will likely drive industry expansion over the next five years. Widening profit margins will likely provide grounds for further expansion into untapped markets,’ said Ms Oo.
Industry employment is expected to increase by 7.3% in 2020-21, with opportunities in place for a variety of highly skilled positions, such as IT specialists, software engineers, data scientists and product managers.
‘Due to the highly technical nature of developing and maintaining online platforms, industry operators like Uber Eats and Menulog are likely to require successful candidates to have experience with innovative technology platforms’, said Ms Oo.
Performing Arts Venues
Despite the negative effects of COVID-19 lockdowns and limits on public gatherings, employment in the Performing Arts Venues industry is expected to grow by 7.7% in 2020-21.
‘An increase in government funding for heritage and arts is anticipated to contribute largely to industry growth in the short-term, as state governments ramp up expenditure to fill the hole in the arts and culture sector caused by the pandemic,’ said Ms Oo.
Over the next five years, industry venues are projected to increasingly target new demographics, particularly younger patrons, through the use of digital media technology. This will likely boost demand for experienced staff in this field to fill positions such as motion graphics designers, digital and visual effects artists and electronics engineers. Overall, industry employment is projected to rise at an annualised 7.1% over the five years through 2025-26, to approach 11,000 workers.
IBISWorld reports used to develop this release:
- Salt, Lithium and Other Mineral Mining in Australia
- Digital Advertising Agencies in Australia
- Organic Farming in Australia
- Online Food Ordering and Delivery Platforms in Australia
- Performing Arts Venues in Australia
- Restaurants in Australia
- Fast Food and Takeaway Food Services in Australia
For more information, to obtain industry reports, or arrange an interview with an analyst, please contact:
Jason Aravanis
Strategic Media Advisor – IBISWorld Pty Ltd
Tel: 03 9906 3647
Email: mediarelations@ibisworld.com
