The COVID-19 pandemic was a crisis in ways that Australia has not faced in 100 years. It has had a profound effect on socialization, politics, and, of course, the job market. Perhaps not surprisingly, our data here at Web Rover has found that healthcare related jobs were in high demand – a need that makes sense given a global healthcare event.
But what may be surprising is when that demand occurred.
Data Shows that Healthcare Hires Increased After Cases Were Low
One would think that healthcare jobs would be in high demand when cases were on the rise, but our data shows the opposite. Prior to the pandemic, in 2020, new jobs opened at a rate of about 700 or so per business day. When the pandemic hit, new jobs dropped to only about 250 per day despite the increased need.
It was only when the country opened back up did hiring start to increase. However, once they began increasing, they continued to increase at a slow and steady pace. As we can see from the chart below, by January 2021, companies were hiring as many as 1050 new healthcare workers every day – well beyond the pre-pandemic numbers.
Interestingly, there was a short period of time between January 15th and March 15th that job openings decreased. Perhaps this was a response to a combination of the low case count and the start of the vaccine rollout. But by the time the Delta Variant becomes a threat, healthcare jobs begin to open at a massive pace of almost 1000 per day, and they have continued at that pace ever since.
The types of healthcare jobs also fit nicely with our expectations about both general healthcare and the pandemic. Registered nurse was, not surprisingly, the most highly sought after position all year. But what followed in New South Wales was occupational therapist – perhaps to help those with COVID-19 related injury, or as a way for employers to offer further support for their staff inspired by the effects of the pandemic on physical and mental health.
Get the Recruitment Data You Need Instantly
Within the healthcare field, new vacancies change not only because of once-in-a-lifetime global pandemics, but also because of the trends in health and wellness.
For recruiters in the heath care field, or any recruiter that wants instant access to detailed data on the job market in Australia, contact Web Rover today to learn more about our software and support.
