the safe step hse job index · the weakest of these was hse advisor opportunities. this level of...

The Safe Step HSE Job Index

October - December 2016

Quarterly Market Analysis for Health, Safety & Environment Professionals in Australia

thesafestep.com.au | 02 8256 2515

The Safe Step HSE Job Index | Oct - Dec 2016 thesafestep.com.au | 02 8256 2515

About The Safe StepThe Safe Step understands that in today’s business environment, HSE professionals require heightened commercial and business capabilities to be successful. We work with organisations to improve their performance through the capability of their HSE teams - capability that reflects the needs of a continually changing work environment.

Buy HSE CapabilityThe Safe Step is a leader in talent sourcing for the Executive Appointment and Permanent HSE markets across all industries and levels in Australia, with capability on the ground in all major employing states.

Borrow HSE CapabilityThe Safe Step works with organisations to supply flexible HSE solutions. We provide practitioners to bolster permanent HSE capability when required for a wide range of situations.

Build HSE CapabilityThe Safe Step delivers HSE professional assessment and development programs through The HSE Space that are targeted at lifting the capability of existing HSE team members.

For more information, please visit www.thesafestep.com.au

SYDNEY | MELBOURNE | BRISBANE


> HSE Job Index Introduction

Welcome to The Safe Step Q2, FY 17 (Oct to Dec) HSE Job Index Quarterly Report.

Over the December quarter, the National HSE market dipped back 3.2% after steady growth over 2016. The pleasing result was that the market finished 2016 13.9% better than in December 2015 and the year just past was better than the prior two.

Much of the drop in the December quarter can be attributed to seasonal conditions in December and the number of opportunities in the permanent market dropped by 4.5% just in the final month.

> National HSE Job Index

> Whilst the HSE market improved overall last year, it is still 20% below the benchmark set for The Safe Step HSE Job Index in November 2013 and so there is clearly scope for further improvement in 2017.

> Much of the growth in the HSE market has been fuelled by the Contract market. Contract opportunities make up 26.5% of the total market in HSE.

> Despite the normal seasonal downturn experienced in the permanent space, Contracting held its own in the December quarter, finishing up 0.6%. The general move to a contingent workforce suggests that further growth in 2017 could come from the Contract market for HSE professionals.

Chart 1: National Index | Job Type % Change in Index Percentage

Chart 2: Job Type| Proportion Analysis


> State Analysis

> The last six months of 2016 saw an encouraging pickup in demand for HSE professionals in the West, albeit from an extraordinarily record low base of 36.6 in July. The WA Index is now at 55.3, its highest level since June 2015.

> If WA’s resurgence can be attributed to improvements in the Mining and Resources sector, this is yet to translate into officially new job opportunities in Queensland. It slipped again in December, falling 5.4% to 47.3 leaving it below WA.

> The Victorian market was on fire mid year but has struggled to maintain that momentum. We saw exceptional growth in early 2016 but some significant contribution since the second half of the year. The Index now sits at 132.7, well below the September peak but still at a very high level.

> NSW’s bull run ended in December with opportunities easing back for the month 3.6% but still finished in positive territory for the quarter on 4.1% after three months of continuous growth. With demand 16.7% higher than a year ago driven by the construction and health sectors, the momentum in NSW is very positive moving into 2017.

QLD -18.2%

Chart 4: State Index | Movement over 24 months

NSW +4.1%

WA +51.8%

VIC -21.7%

SA/NT -29.9%

Chart 3: State Index | Percentage change over 3 months to December 2016

Over the December quarter there were some mixed results across the various states with WA showing substantial improvement finally but Queensland, Victoria and NSW eased and finished in negative territory.


> Industry Analysis

> In regards to sectors doing well, Construction is the stand out in the HSE market. The volume of HSE opportunities in the sector grew by a remarkable 42.5% during 2016 with half of this growth coming in the December quarter as a result of the investment in infrastructure.

> Demand for HSE professionals in the Healthcare sector resulted in a 4.4% improvement in the December quarter. With a small rise of just 0.1% in the final month, the sector finished on a new Index high of 159.8.

> Resources also finished in positive territory for the quarter, up 4.7% with much of this growth in the WA market.

> Not travelling as well is Manufacturing and Supply Chain. Demand peaked in June but has steadily declined since this time and has dropped dramatically in terms of the number of opportunities in the sector over the past six months.

Chart 6: Industry Index | December 2016

There were some mixed results in the Industry Analysis of the largest employers of HSE professionals for 2016, the last 6 months and the last quarter.

Chart 5: Industry Index | Percentage Change

Healthcare & Medical

Mining

Construction

Financial ServicesProfessional Services

UtilitiesRetail & Wholesale

Public Sector

Other Manufacturing & Supply Chain


> Occupational Analysis

> For a second successive month the only occupational group to show an increase in job opportunities is HSE Executives. Demand at the top of the profession hit a new high but this is a bit deceptive. Senior roles represent 5% of all advertised positions so a relatively small increase in volumes can make percentage growth, likewise declines, look substantial. Having said that, the stronger senior market is encouraging.

HSE Executives

HSE Managers

HSE Advisors

Other Safety 20.9%

39.0%

34.6%

5.6%

Chart 7: Occupational Index | Proportion of the market at December 2016

> All other occupational groups saw declines in December. The weakest of these was HSE Advisor opportunities. This level of the market has slipped considerably in the last quarter (off 11.5%) bringing to a close what was otherwise a spectacularly good year where we have seen job vacancies rise 33.5% year-on-year.

> The market for HSE Managers remains very poor. Squeezed between Executive and Advisory roles, their market contracted 12.6% during 2016. The Index is now on 57.5, higher than that seen in Q2 when the market was at its weakest.

Chart 8: Occupational Index | Movement over 24 months

The Occupational Analysis showed demand in the final quarter of the year being impacted by a spike in opportunities for Executives. Whilst still low volumes, this does bode well for 2017.

Data supplied under Copyright by HRO2 Research Pty Ltd.

the safe step hse job index · the weakest of these was hse advisor opportunities. this level of...

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