10-04-2025
Hunt intensifies for 50,000 tradies paying up to $300,000 a year: 'Sky's the limit'
Queensland is on the hunt for 50,000 construction workers to help build stadiums, roads and tackle the housing crisis. Tradies including carpenters, painters and electricians are among the most in-demand, with six-figure pay packages on the table for some jobs.
The state currently has $53 billion worth of construction activity in the pipeline, but that figure is set to jump to $77 billion in 2026-2027. That's been driven by the state's growing population, which is expected to surpass six million by 2023, the upcoming Olympic Games, and the net zero transition.
A new report by Construction Skills Queensland found meeting these demands will be harder than ever before due to a critical shortage of tradies.
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"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 told 9News.
The building pipeline is forecast to average $40.2 billion over the next eight years, with about 95,900 workers needed each year to meet labour demand.
The engineering pipeline is projected to average $21 billion over the eight years, with an average workforce demand of around 26, top five trades needed in Queensland right now are:
Carpenters
Painters
Electricians
Plasterers
Concreters
There's also a shortage of earthmoving plant operators, structural steel workers and crane operators.
Other jobs needed include building and plumbing labourers, plumbers, miscellaneous labourers, civil engineers and construction managers.
Hetherington said there were good pay packages on offer for construction workers.
But the salary does depend on the job in question.
"The sky's the limit if you want to go into construction management, you know, $300,000 and beyond," Hetherington said.
"But certainly, the trades are being well paid in this environment."
The average full-time worker made $1,975.80 per week in November 2024, or $102,741.60 per year.
Median employee earnings in a main job were lower at $1,396 per week, or $72, in to access your portfolio
