New data centre projects are fuelling more construction job ads even as reference to AI skills in job ads have started falling, says online provider SEEK.
SEEK’s latest national jobs report for July was released yesterday (August 12).
It says that references to AI skills in job ads rose 3.1% month-on-month (m/m) to July but the 12-month growth rate of 60.4% year-on-year (y/y) was down on 88.1% recorded for January.
It also notes that mentions of agentic AI and AI ethics/governance more than doubled in the past year to 178.4% with demand for experience in these areas up by 122.5%.
SEEK found that, overall, job ads nationally fell by 0.4%, driven mainly by NSW, with applications for every ad having risen since January to record heights.
In a press statement, SEEK chief economist Dr Blair Chapman says AI’s influence in the jobs market is just making itself felt.
“AI’s influence is beginning to show in the labour market although its impact remains modest so far,” he says.
“The clearest signs are in the changing composition of demand, particularly for roles with high or medium automation exposure.
“At the same time, broader macroeconomic pressures, including high operating costs and cost-of-living pressures, continue to weigh on most sectors,” he says.
NEW DEMAND FELT IN OTHER SECTORS
New data centre projects are fuelling job ad growth in related sectors, Dr Chapman points out.
“There is notable, sustained growth in the large construction and trade industries with rising demand specifically for roles in the planning, construction and maintenance of data centres,” he says.
“South Australia has emerged as a powerhouse in this space, with data centre job ads more than tripling over the past year and driving sustained annual job ad growth (248.3% y/y) in the state for the past 18 months.”
SEEK says large centre projects are driving demand for roles such as data technicians, project managers, engineers and HVAC technicians.
In 12 months, demand for roles that reference “data centre” more than doubled, rising 109.5% particularly across the eastern seaboard, SEEK says.
Victoria’s demand for these roles rose 127.6% in 12 months while NSW recorded accelerating growth at 107.3%.
Demand was strongest in South Australia as ad numbers surged 248.3% y/y, driven by a wave of new projects in the state, SEEK says.
SLOWDOWN IN FALLING JOB ADS
On the national jobs front, Dr Chapman says ad numbers across all employment sectors are falling; 0.4% in July and down 6% for the last 12 months.
“Job ads are declining at a slower pace and across a slightly narrower range of industries,” he says.
“Outside the trades and infrastructure-related industries, other pockets of growth point to some greater-than-usual seasonal hiring trends.
“Hospitality and tourism jobs have risen in most states m/m while a jump in sports and recreation signals faster hiring activity for the sports and fitness sector than we would usually see at this time of year,” Dr Chapman says.
The national decline in job ads for July was driven mainly by NSW as demand in that state fell by 0.7% compared to June, continuing a 12-month trend, the report says.
The fall was recorded across all sectors except construction (+0.5% for the month).
Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria all saw a rise in monthly job ads as Victoria recorded its first rise in 12 months.
Applications per job ad have increased for seven months even as job ad numbers fell; after 1.4% growth in June, they are now at their highest level on record, SEEK says.
The greatest monthly growth by industry was in sport and recreation (3%) while the largest fall was 2.4% for science and technology.
OTHER DATA CENTRE NEWS
