Great communicators are in demand!
Why? Because finding someone with strong communication skills is an asset to your project, your company and your product success.
Highly effective communicators currently are in short supply in Australia. In fact, the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) recently stated a need for more professionally trained communicators through its submission to the Migration Taskforce.
This opinion is reflected by University of Tasmania research, revealing that demand for Public Relations professionals is projected to grow by 15.8 per cent to 2024.
In March 2022, SEEK job ads for Marketing and Communication increased by 21 per cent, one of the fastest increases in national job ads. Communicators are part of the creative industries which make up 5.5 per cent of the workforce in the latest Census, and these industries are growing at three times the rate of the overall workforce.
Great communicators boost your business and project mindshare
Those with creative and communications skills have a substantial influence on the Australian economy by providing Australians with confidence in an uncertain future. They are vital to ensure that governments, businesses and not-for-profits are able to influence their employees, community and stakeholders.
These valuable communications professionals can be found in every sector of the economy, from professional, public administration and safety, to scientific, education and training.
LinkedIn data collected by the Australian Communications Advocacy Group (ACAG) in August 2020 shared the importance of communication roles to organisations of every size. For example, Canva has a staff of 1,191, and 185 employees are engaged in roles with the keyword ‘communications’, and healthcare company Cochlear employs 384 individuals engaged in communications (12.5 per cent of the workforce).
Highly trained and female-centric
ACAG’s research has further revealed that 92.9 per cent of communications professionals have a university degree or higher, and the industry is currently female-dominated. Women account for 69 per cent of professionals in the Marketing and Media and Public Administration and Safety (federal, state and local government) industries.
However, ACAG’s research reveals a lack of those with 10-14 years of experience, crucial mid-career professionals who are responsible for mentoring, training and upskilling junior professionals.
So, how to solve the problem? Increasing the migration program in 2022-23 will help to address the skills shortages identified across many industries in Australia. In the meantime, keep hold of your great communicators, or use the downtime of December and January to find new ones.
Resources:
For further information, visit: https://www.pria.com.au/public/38/files/News/Immigration%20Inquiry%20Submission%20061221.pdf
