Queensland is in desperate need of 50,000 workers if it hopes to complete its housing projects, with pay packages to potentially reach into six figures.
The state will need extra construction workers within the next two years to build the housing and infrastructure needed ahead of 2032, according to a new report by Construction Skills Queensland.
“What we’re seeing is a shortfall of about 18,200 on average from now across the eight years, and that intensifies to about 50,000 shortfall in ’26, ’27,” Construction Skills Queensland director Kim Hetherington said.
The state government currently has $53 billion worth of construction activity in the pipeline with that figure set to jump to $77 billion in the next financial year.
One of those projects includes the aim to build 53,000 new homes by 2044.
“If we were trying to get everything done as we’ve actually got them on the books currently, we can’t get that done,” Hetherington said.
Construction Skills Queensland said the government needs to prioritise projects to make sure enough housing, hospitals, roads and schools are built in the next eight years.
The top five trades needed across Queensland are carpenters, painters, electricians, plasterers and concreters.
There’s also a huge shortage of earthmoving plant operators, structural steel workers and crane operators.
And pay packages can go into the six figures.
“The sky’s the limit if you want to go into construction management, you know, $300,000 and beyond, but certainly, the trades are being well paid in this environment,” Hetherington said.
The state government said it is working on incentives and policies to help ease the shortage.
“It’s not just young Queenslanders who need to take up a trade, we’re going to need workers from elsewhere,” Housing Minister Sam O’Connor said.
“We’re actively looking at housing models for that.”