Australia’s trades and construction sector is in a dogfight for talent and it’s only getting tougher. South East Queensland is gearing up for its biggest construction boom in decades and the Brisbane 2032 Olympics is about to pour fuel on a market that’s already running hot.
Skills are tightening, major projects are stacking up and good tradies are going to have even more choice in the years ahead.
If you’re not sharpening your attraction game now, you’ll be left standing on site with no crew and a deadline breathing down your neck.
“The trades market is tightening every year. Over the next few years, it’s going to get even more competitive. Those who nail attraction will keep their projects moving - the rest will feel the pinch fast,” said Luke McFadzean, General Manager National Accounts and Growth.
So how do you stand out when every other business is chasing the same talent? It starts by getting real about what today’s workers want and being honest about what you offer.
1. Sell more than the job
Tradies often have the luxury of multiple offers and projects at any given time. They’re comparing not just dollars, but the whole package. Culture. Crew. Leadership. Reputation.
“Don’t just list skills required, a pay rate and hope for the best. Talk about who you are, what your team stands for, what you’re building. Sell your ambition whether that’s growth, quality or being the best in your patch. That’s what cuts through,” Luke said.
If your job ads are generic, don’t be surprised when they get ignored. The market is noisy. You need to show personality and purpose.
2. Give them consistent, reliable work
Job security and consistent hours are a big draw card. Tradies want to know the work won’t dry up in a few weeks, leaving them scrambling.
Consistency doesn’t happen by luck - it’s built off good planning, tight material management and a solid project pipeline.
“Downtime destroys productivity. If you’re paying people to sit around because materials are late or you’ve got gaps between jobs, that costs your business money and it costs you good people. Consistency is everything,” Luke said.
3. Work life balance matters
Nine day fortnights. RDOs. Early Friday knock offs. Flexible rosters.
Not long ago these were nice perks. Now they’re baseline expectations, especially for younger generation who are approaching the job market with a different expectation than previous generations.
If you don’t offer balance and your competitor does, you already know how that story ends.
4. Pay fair, on time and what the market demands
Money isn’t everything but let’s not kid ourselves, it matters.
Tradies will jump ship for a few extra bucks if the rest of the package doesn’t stack up. And in a tight market, you can’t afford to lose people over something preventable.
“You don’t have to pay the highest rate out there. But you do have to be competitive. Keep an eye on the market, listen to what others are offering and make sure your own offering is in the right zone,” Luke said.
Clear expectations around OT, pay cycles and conditions matter too. The quickest way to frustrate a worker is to underpay them or pay them late. They’ve got mortgages, bills and families to pay themselves.
5. Build a noticeable company
You need to be visible in the market. If people haven’t heard of you, they’re probably won’t consider working for you.
Have a look at your website, your social media, your on site signage, the stories you tell… it all shapes how workers see you.
“Google your business. What comes up? Are the reviews helping or hurting you? Look at your website as if the shoe were on the other foot and ask yourself what kind of first impressions and perception your external messaging is creating. Would you want to work for you based on what you see?” Luke said.
Luke recalled one PTU members video where they gifted an apprentice some tools. It went viral, racking up more than 150,000 views.
“That sort of exposure is priceless. Stay humble, stay genuine and show people who you really are. That’s what makes you an employer tradies want to work for,” Luke said.
6. Offer stability and progression
Most tradies are chasing stability, not short term scraps.
Sure, casual labour has its place. Shutdowns, major projects, peak periods, no drama there. But for the bulk of the workforce, stability wins.
“People want to know they can pay the mortgage and feed their families. If you can offer stability, you’re already ahead of half the market,” Luke said.
And permanent pathways matter. Clear progression matters. Showing people they’re building a career, not just clocking hours, matters.
So, what’s the bottom line? Attraction takes work.
Tradies today have choices. They’ll choose the employer who shows consistency, clarity and genuine care not just the one waving the biggest pay packet.
If you want to stand out in a shrinking talent pool, you need to show up stronger than your competitors. Better ads. Better communication. Better planning. Better culture. Better follow through.
“The businesses that get serious about attraction now will be the ones still standing strong when the skills shortage hits its peak,” Luke said.
In a market this tough, attraction is showing who you are, backing your people and proving you’ve got the consistency, stability and values tradies want.
Do that and you won’t just attract talent. You’ll attract the right talent. And you’ll keep them.
