ANZSCO: 2333 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS design, develop and supervise the manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance of equipment,

, machines and systems for the generation, distribution, utilisation and control of electric power. This Unit Group contains the following occupation included on the 2012 Skilled Occupation List (SOL): 233311 Electrical Engineer Indicative Skill Level Most occupations in this Unit Group have a level of skill commensurate with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). Specialised Occupation Criteria Long lead time Electrical Engineers meet the criteria for long lead time, as entry to this occupation requires a substantial training commitment. Employment as an Electrical Engineer generally requires the completion of a university qualification of at least four years study (full-time equivalent), such as a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering). High use Electrical Engineers meet the criteria for high use, showing that the skills which people have acquired through education and training are actually being deployed for the uses intended. Based on advice from Universities Australia, university courses in electrical engineering have a strong degree of match with eventual employment as Electrical Engineers. Of new graduates employed as Electrical Engineers, 86% had studied in a related field, such as engineering and related technologies (Australian Graduate Survey, 2010). As professionals, Electrical Engineers are expected to have a level of skill commensurate with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification. Of those employed as Electrical Engineers, 80.2% were found to possess this level of skill (ABS Survey of Education and Work, 2011). High risk Electrical Engineers also meet the criteria for high risk/high disruption. This indicates that shortage of skills causes significant cost to the community and/or economy. Electrical Engineers are required to be registered or licensed in some states and territories, such as Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania. Electrical Engineers are important to meet government policy priorities. These include the expansion of electricity infrastructure, the development of sustainable electricity systems and implementation of the National Broadband Network.

SOL Summary Projected employment to 2015-16 is very strong (31.9% compared with the all occupations rate of 11.0%). The occupational unemployment rate is very low. Internet vacancies rose by 19.8% over the last year while vacancies for all occupations fell by 7.1% over the 12 months to November 2011. Graduate outcomes are above average. Although labour turnover for Electrical Engineers is relatively low (and employer comments suggest there is little transferability of skills between industry sectors), the occupation has a relatively old age profile. This suggests that a sizeable number of job opportunities will arise from worker retirement. Over the last five years domestic completions decreased by about 8%, indicating that domestic student supply is not keeping pace with demand for this occupation. The evidence indicates that the demand for Electrical Engineer is expected to exceed supply over the medium to longer term.

Occupation trends ANZSCO: 2333

Electrical Engineers

Employment level 19 100 Almost all workers are employed full-time (97.0%). 6 digit employment (2006 Census) 2333-11 Electrical Engineer 8870 Employment growth Over the five years to November 2011, employment in this occupation increased by 37.7% (compared with growth of 10.4% for all occupations). Employment over the next five years is expected to increase by 31.9%. Unemployment rate 0.8% compared with 3.1% for all occupations. Educational profile 87.9% have a Bachelor degree or higher qualification. Vacancies The Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) rose by 19.8% over the 12 months to November 2011. Vacancies for all occupations fell by 7.1%. Gender 1.8% of workers in this occupation are female (compared with 45.5% for all occupations). Labour turnover Annually, 6.1% of Engineering Professionals (which includes Electrical Engineers) leave their occupation group, creating some potential job openings (this compares with 14.2% across all occupations). Age profile The median age is 43 years and 45.0% of workers are aged 45 years and over (compared with 38.5% for all occupations). Earnings Median full-time weekly earnings (before tax) are $1450 compared with $1050 for all occupations. Graduate outcomes Data from Graduate Careers Australia indicate that 86.1% of students completing a Bachelor degree in the field of electrical engineering in 2010 (and who were available for full-time work) were in full-time employment four months after graduating, above the average for all Bachelor degree graduates (76.6%). Skill shortages Shortages of Electrical Engineers have been evident continuously since 2005. Labour market Shortages have been apparent since 2005. Research undertaken in early 2011 indicates that the labour market for Electrical Engineers tightened between 2010 and 2011. Around 38% of surveyed vacancies were filled in 2011, compared with 51% in 2010. In addition, the number of suitable applicants per vacancy fell from an average of 1.9 in 2010 to 1.5 in 2011, supporting the view of a tightening in this labour market. Employers in larger states experienced significant difficulty filling positions. However, anecdotal information suggests some new graduates experience difficulty gaining initial employment, as employers are generally seeking experienced engineers. This may be borne out by the relatively high number of qualified but unsuitable applicants. Survey results suggest there were more than six qualified but unsuitable applicants per vacancy. Most employers surveyed required applicants to have previous experience in a particular industry or role, such as experience in the defence industry, water treatment, rail transport, telecommunications, or high voltage electrical design. Many employers required a minimum of five years experience and most employers sought local knowledge. Lack of relevant experience and lack of appropriate qualifications were key reasons for applicants being considered to be unsuitable. Electrical Engineers Employed Persons Nov 2001 to Nov 2011 graph has been removed to enable this document to be available to people with information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication. Electrical Engineers Internet Vacancy Index 3 monthly average Nov 2006 to Nov 2011 graph has been removed to enable this document to be available to people with information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication.