Strong jobs growth in public service

Women already are claiming their place in the service, making up 58 per cent of the Australian Public Sector (APS) workforce, including 40 per cent of all staff in the Australian Defence Forces.

The Australian Public Service Commission’s State of the Service Series for 2009-10 reveals one in 10 Australian Public Servants (APS) plan to retire in the next two years, while a further one in 20 will leave their agency for other reasons.

It states demand for labour in the age bracket of 35 to 45 years to 2025 will increase by 25 per cent but the supply of labour in that age bracket will decline by 15 per cent, with a 40 per cent shortage of staff.

APS staffing levels grew by 15 per cent since 1996 and an alternative report into the State of the Australian Public Service, by Centre for Policy Development public service research director Dr James Whelan, says staffing numbers have almost returned to those experienced in the early 1990s before retrenchment shed one-third of the workforce, or 50,000 jobs.

Stronger jobs growth is being led by an increase in senior executive (SES) positions, which grew by 1.6 per cent last year, compared with the overall APS growth of 0.4 per cent.

The attraction for many workers for public sector careers lies in seeing tangible results for their efforts and being able to make a contribution to society.

It also contributes to Leadership Management Australasia reports that twice as many public sector staff, or 43 per cent, had stayed with their employer for 10 years or more, compared to the private sector’s 24 per cent.

The resources boom is driving growth in Queensland’s public sector, according to Hays Recruitment Queensland business director, Paula Kirwan.

“The energy sector has a lot of movement at the moment, so government-owned corporations servicing this are moving forward,” Kirwan says.

The likes of Powerlink Queensland, Stanwell Corporation and CS Energy are on the hit list.

The Queensland Public Service employs one in 10 working Queenslanders, according to the Queensland Public Service Commission.

Women make up 64 per cent of the workforce, while one in five workers are aged 55 and over, double what it was 10 years ago.

More than half the 206,802 Queensland public service employees work in the agencies of health, and education and training. Staffing levels have increased by 40 per cent in the last 10 years, with employment in health securing the biggest growth.

But recruitment processes are slow and it takes a national average of 75 working days to fill an advertised position.

“It’s a . . . very thorough process, but it’s about getting it right the first time rather than making recruitment errors,” Kirwan says.

“But when they do appoint, people tend not to leave because they’ve made the right appointment. In the private sector environment people might not be right for the job or the (firm’s) culture.”

The Pettitt family combined have more than 40 years of service as public servants, with all three working for the Immigration and Citizenship Department. Despite their differing roles, they believe the public service offers them unique opportunities.

Principal intelligence adviser Bill Pettitt moved into the public service aged in his late 40s 13 years ago after 30 years in the military and says: “It gives you a feeling of worth. You’re certainly focused on the needs of the country in most departments.” He joined wife Sandy, who has worked for the department for about 20 years.

As director of detention operations, she enjoys the diversity of being able to move through roles, dealing with different stakeholders.

Their daughter, program management reporting director Liane, 30, started in an entry-level role straight from university and appreciates the variety as well as the ability to use her law degree in her role.

THE FACTS

• 58% of public servants are women
• Pubilc service has grown 15% since 1996
• Almost three in four executive public servants are aged 45 years and over
• The number of public servants aged 55 and over has more than doubled since 1996
• Centrelink, ATO and Defence are the biggest employers with more than 20,000 staff each
• 64 per cent of the Queensland Public Service workforce is female
• Record demand for public servants will occur across Australia in the next 15 years as almost one third of the workforce reaches retirement age.
• It will leave at least 40,000 opportunities for jobseekers to further their career, especially in the 35 to 45 year age group.