2024-09-09 05:52:51
Australia’s construction industry is facing a perfect storm: enormous targets for building – 1.2 million new homes and A$230 billion worth of infrastructure over the next five years – at the same time as net migration is forecast to halve.
Without as many migrants, Australia might not have the workforce it needs to meet these targets.
Unless it does something different. Our team at the University of Technology Sydney has been examining the barriers to employing existing migrants in the construction industry, and we find they are substantial.
Migrants who arrived in Australia in the past five years account for only 2.8% of Australia’s construction workforce, but 4.4% of the entire Australian workforce.
Migrant engineers are significantly more likely than Australian-born engineers to be unemployed or underemployed – working at a more junior level than their skills and experience warrant.
Women face extra barriers
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Women skilled in the trades needed face special barriers. This might be expected from an industry in which (in New South Wales at least) around half the employers have a workforce that is nearly all male and one-third employ no women at all.
Our survey of 70 Australian subcontractors found they saw significant safety, productivity and cost risks in employing migrants and refugees and groups including disengaged youth, people with a disability, ex-offenders, women and Indigenous workers.
In many cases, these perceived risks did not align with actual risks.
Our online survey of 79 refugees and migrants who had sought work in construction found that the less experience a refugee or migrant had working in construction overseas, the more likely it was they would secure a full-time job.
Education can hurt foreign jobseekers
Education counted against them as well. High school, undergraduate and masters educated migrants and refugees were more successful in securing full-time permanent work then those with doctorates and technical education.
Employers were often unwilling to recognise their qualifications and experience.
Our in-depth interviews with 16 skilled female migrants who had sought
work in the NSW construction industry found their initial hopes of finding work easily and quickly turned to frustration and an acknowledgement that their qualifications and experience were not as transferable as they had thought.
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Most described struggling to get shortlisted for an interview, even when they felt their skills and experience closely matched those needed.
Many complained that the formal, online, and impersonal nature of the initial shortlisting process automatically excluded them from securing interviews.
In the rare events they did secure face-to-face interviews, many
complained many employers used the so-called STAR method (“situation, task, action, and result”) that required them to tell stories about situations they hadn’t been in.
All found their interviews very stressful, impersonal and intimidating.
You shouldn’t need a relative to get a job
Among the challenges facing female migrants with the skills needed by the construction industry were sexism, racism and traditional cultural expectations about their role in society.
Many felt frustrated, abandoned and under-valued after arriving in Australia. This was despite being willing to accept jobs well below their expectations, previous roles, experience and qualifications.
Those fortunate to have family and friends in the construction industry relied heavily on them to find their first jobs. However, these jobs tended to be low level, with limited career opportunities and exposure to exploitation by unscrupulous employers, labour hire companies and job agencies.
Treating foreign-born construction industry workers as well as we treat Australian-born workers, and tackling the special barriers that apply to foreign-born women, ought to be an easy way to boost our construction workforce.
We have identified some of the things holding the industry back. The next step is to examine why.
This research was conducted with refugee and migrant support agencies including Metro Assist and Scarf Illawarra.
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Trade shortage Australia
Australia’s Construction Industry: Breaking Down Barriers for Migrant Workers
Australia’s construction industry is facing a significant challenge: meeting the enormous targets for building and infrastructure development while dealing with a forecasted halving of net migration. With a shortage of skilled workers, the industry risks not having the workforce it needs to meet these targets. However, a solution lies in harnessing the skills of existing migrants, who are often underutilized and face significant barriers to employment.
The Current State of Migrant Workers in Construction
M
Construction industry in Australia
Australia’s Construction Industry: Challenges and Opportunities
Australia’s construction industry is facing significant challenges in the coming years. With enormous targets for building, including 1.2 million new homes and A$230 billion worth of infrastructure over the next five years, the industry is under pressure to deliver [[1]]. However, the industry is also facing a shortage of skilled workers, with net migration forecast to halve, which may hinder its ability to meet these targets [[1]].
The Importance of Migrant Workers
Migrant workers play a crucial role in the Australian construction industry. However, our research at the University of Technology Sydney has found that there are significant barriers to employing existing migrants in the construction industry. Migrants who arrived in Australia in the past five years account for only 2.8% of Australia’s construction workforce, despite making up 4.4% of the entire Australian workforce [[1]].
Barriers to Employment
Our research has identified several barriers to employment for migrant workers in the construction industry. Migrant engineers, for example, are significantly more likely than Australian-born engineers to be unemployed or underemployed, working at a more junior level than their skills and experience warrant [[1]].
Women Face Extra Barriers
Women skilled in the trades needed in the construction industry face extra barriers to employment. The industry is male-dominated, with nearly half of employers in New South Wales having a workforce that is almost entirely male, and one-third employing no women at all [[1]]. Our survey of 70 Australian subcontractors found that they saw significant safety, productivity, and cost risks in employing women and other underrepresented groups, including migrants and refugees [[1]].
Education Can Hurt Foreign Jobseekers
Education can also be a barrier to employment for migrant workers. Our research found that high school, undergraduate, and masters-educated migrants and refugees were more successful in securing full-time permanent work than those with doctorates and technical education [[1]]. Employers were often unwilling to recognize their qualifications and experience, which can make it difficult for migrant workers to find employment that matches their skills and experience.
Trade Shortage in Australia
The construction industry in Australia is facing a trade shortage, which can have significant implications for the industry’s ability to deliver on its targets. The industry is in need of skilled workers, including electricians, plumbers, and carpenters, to meet the demand for construction work [[3]].
What Can Be Done?
To address the challenges facing the construction industry, it is essential to do things differently. This includes addressing the barriers to employment for migrant workers, including recognizing their qualifications and experience, and providing training and upskilling opportunities to help them integrate into the industry.
The industry must also work to address the trade shortage, by investing in training and apprenticeships, and encouraging more women and underrepresented groups to enter the industry.
Conclusion
Australia’s construction industry is facing significant challenges, including a shortage of skilled workers and a male-dominated workforce. However, by addressing these challenges and providing opportunities for migrant workers and underrepresented groups, the industry can ensure that it has the skills and resources it needs to deliver on its targets.
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