Engineering Job Trends 2019–2025: Regional Performance Deep Dive

Between April 2019 and April 2025, Australia’s engineering job landscape saw dramatic shifts at both national and regional levels. Nationally, engineering vacancies slipped from the 13th most-advertised occupation to 18th—a five-place drop driven by the tapering of a mid-decade resources boom. Yet at the same time, several SA4 regions bucked this trend: the Gold Coast surged from 33 to 78 postings (+45), Newcastle & Lake Macquarie rose by +24, and Central Queensland grew by +21—fueled by coastal infrastructure, port expansions, and mining-equipment projects. Conversely, remote resource areas such as WA Outback (North) and Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday saw contractions of 40 and 15 ads respectively, as exploration and maintenance roles cooled. This deep dive unpacks the key drivers—industry investment, infrastructure rollouts, and regional economic cycles—and delivers actionable insights for job-seekers, employers and policymakers.

These region-specific trends highlight a clear coastal and urban advantage for engineering roles, while remote resource regions recalibrate after boom-and-bust cycles—vital intel for workforce planning and investment decisions.