Wollongong and Illawarra recruitment: trade, technical and professional staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and the northern suburbs find tradespeople, engineers, health and community professionals and office staff, from graduates to experienced people, starting with people who live or studied in the Illawarra.
The Illawarra at a glance
- of the Illawarra's people live in the City of Wollongong
- 68%
- 224,327 of 330,469 people, 30 June 2025.1,2
- of workers are in health care and social assistance
- 18%
- 41,400 of 234,100 employed people in the Illawarra South Coast employment region, four-quarter average to February 2026.3
- of recruiting employers had difficulty filling a role
- 42%
- Illawarra South Coast employment region, which also covers the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven, year to August 2026.4
- unemployment rate, City of Wollongong
- 5.8%
- Smoothed estimate, June quarter 2026. Kiama was 2.1%.5
Who are the Illawarra's biggest employers?
Health care is the largest industry in the Illawarra South Coast region, employing about one worker in six.3 Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has more than 8,500 staff across seven hospital sites and is one of the region's largest employers.6
Heavy industry still matters here. BlueScope's Port Kembla Steelworks can produce more than three million tonnes of crude steel a year, making it Australia's largest maker of flat steel.7 The University of Wollongong is also a major presence, with its main campus and the Innovation Campus research precinct close by.8
Employed people in the five largest industries, Illawarra South Coast employment region, four-quarter average to February 2026.3
| Industry | Employed people |
|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 41,400 |
| Retail trade | 22,400 |
| Education and training | 22,300 |
| Construction | 22,100 |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,900 |
Which jobs are most advertised in the Illawarra?
Care, health and community roles fill the top of the Illawarra's job ads. Legal, social and welfare professionals, a group that includes social workers and welfare officers, averaged 102 ads a month.9
Online job ads a month by occupation group, Illawarra statistical area, three-month average to September 2026 (all occupations: 1,427).9
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Carers and aides | 119 |
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 117 |
| Legal, social and welfare professionals | 102 |
| Sales assistants and salespersons | 99 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists | 95 |
| Health diagnostic and therapy professionals | 75 |
| Automotive and engineering trades | 67 |
How hard is it to hire in the Illawarra?
The employer survey groups the Illawarra with the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven. In the year to August 2026, 45% of the 180 employers surveyed there were recruiting or had recruited in the previous month, and 42% of those had difficulty filling a role, close to the 44% across regional New South Wales.4 Employers most often blamed a lack of suitable applicants, applicants without enough experience, and the working conditions or hours.4
Unemployment varies within the region: 5.8% in Wollongong and 5.8% in Shellharbour, but 2.1% in Kiama.5 An unemployment rate doesn't tell you whether people with the right qualifications and experience are available, so we screen closely for both.
Which roles do we recruit in the Illawarra?
Open a role type for demand, shortage, pay, training and what to put in your brief. We count an occupation as in shortage when the 2026 ratings show it in shortage nationally or in regional areas.
Health, community and disability services
Registered and enrolled nurses, allied health professionals, health administration and management staff, social workers and case managers, and support workers such as assistants in nursing and aged-care and disability support workers.
- Demand
- Carers and aides averaged 119 ads a month, medical practitioners and nurses 117, legal, social and welfare professionals 102 and health diagnostic and therapy professionals 75.9
- Workforce
- In the Illawarra South Coast region, 55% of health and social assistance workers worked full-time in the four-quarter average to February 2026; the workforce's median age was 44 in August 2021.3
- Shortage
- Registered Nurse (Aged Care), Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Aged or Disabled Carer are each rated in shortage nationally in 2026.10
- What to put in your brief
- The registration or qualification needed, the service, the shifts and who will supervise.
Trades, manufacturing and heavy industry
Electricians, fitters, mechanics, boilermakers and maintenance tradespeople for steelmaking, manufacturing, construction and service businesses.
- Demand
- Automotive and engineering trades averaged 67 ads a month, electrotechnology and telecommunications trades 29 and construction trades 23.9
- Shortage
- Electrician (General), Diesel Motor Mechanic, Carpenter and Plumber (General) are each rated in shortage nationally in 2026.10
- Pay (electricians)
- Where the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award covers the employer, a licensed electrician at Electrical worker grade 5 earns at least $1,223.11 a week from 1 July 2026, including allowances.11 Full-time electricians nationally earned a median $2,191 a week in May 2025.12
- Licence
- Electrical wiring work in New South Wales needs an electrical licence or certificate, however small the job.13
- Local training
- TAFE NSW has campuses at Wollongong, Wollongong West, Shellharbour and Yallah.14
Engineers and technical staff
Graduate and experienced mechanical, electrical, civil and process engineers, drafters and technicians.
- Demand
- Engineers averaged 23 ads a month and engineering, ICT and science technicians 22, three-month average to September 2026.9
- Shortage
- Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer and Mechanical Engineer are each rated in shortage nationally in 2026.10
- Pay
- Where the Professional Employees Award covers the role, a graduate engineer with a four or five-year degree earns at least $34.57 an hour from 1 July 2026.15 Civil engineering professionals nationally earned a median $59 an hour in May 2025.16
- Registration
- Professional engineering work on class 2, 3 and 9c buildings in New South Wales must be done by a registered engineer or under one's direct supervision.17
- Local university
- The University of Wollongong's main campus is in Wollongong.18
Business, finance and administration
Accountants, finance officers, payroll and administration staff and receptionists for practices, manufacturers and service organisations.
- Demand
- General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists averaged 95 ads a month, business, finance and human resource professionals 28 and numerical clerks 24.9
- What to put in your brief
- The systems you use, the level of experience, the hours and the reporting line.
- How we help
- We check software skills and experience in similar organisations, and talk with candidates about the hours and the commute.
- Hours
- Tell us whether the role is full-time or part-time and whether any work can be done from home.
How we help you hire in the Illawarra
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Travel, relocation and support for new staff
For health, aged care, disability, education, early childhood and council roles in Kiama or Shellharbour, the NSW Government's Welcome Experience offers free relocation and settling-in help to new essential workers and their families. Wollongong isn't on its list.19
If your preferred candidate is moving from Sydney or interstate, we raise housing, start dates and any relocation help early. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in the Illawarra?
Register with Hire Australia if you're a tradesperson, engineer, health or community worker or office professional in the Illawarra, or a University of Wollongong or TAFE graduate. Tell us your field, your qualifications and where you can travel, and we'll get in touch about suitable roles.
Talk to us about your next Illawarra hire
Tell us the role, where it's based, the hours or shifts, any licence or registration needed and your preferred start date.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Wollongong?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for regional employers across Australia, including Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and the northern Illawarra suburbs. We search first among people who live or studied in the Illawarra, then among people who want to move there, and you choose who to interview and hire.
Is it hard to recruit staff in the Illawarra?
Often. In the year to August 2026, 42% of recruiting employers in the Illawarra South Coast region had difficulty filling a role. The most common reasons were too few suitable applicants, too little experience among applicants, and the working conditions or hours.4 Hire Australia screens closely for qualifications and relevant experience.
Does Hire Australia recruit for steel, manufacturing and heavy-industry roles?
Yes. Hire Australia recruits permanent tradespeople, maintenance staff, engineers, technicians and supervisors for manufacturers, heavy industry and their contractors in the Illawarra. Tell us the site, the shift pattern, the tickets and any inductions the work needs, and we look for people who have worked in similar plants.
What does it cost to use Hire Australia?
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. Hire Australia charges every Illawarra employer on the same terms, from Wollongong's northern suburbs to Kiama.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff in the Illawarra?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire, shutdown crews or temps to Illawarra employers, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce those who fit, and you make the offer and employ them yourself.
Can I register with Hire Australia if I'm graduating from the University of Wollongong?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your degree, any work experience or placements, the kind of role you want and where you could work. We recruit graduates as well as experienced people, and we'll talk with you about Illawarra employers looking for someone with your background.
Sources (19)
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates and components by LGA, 2024 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Region Industry profile: Illawarra South Coast Employment Region. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average; median age: Census 2021. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: State and Regional Snapshot update, New South Wales combined. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Year to August 2026, 180 responding employers, unweighted; small regional sample, interpret with caution. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, SALM Smoothed LGA Datafiles (ASGS 2025) - June quarter 2026. Data: June quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, About us. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- BlueScope, Transforming Port Kembla Steelworks. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- University of Wollongong, UOW locations. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index: Internet Vacancies, ANZSCO2 Occupations, GCCSA and SA4 Regions - September 2026. September data released 21 October 2026. Data: September 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings, ANZSCO 2022 sheet. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay Guide - Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award [MA000025]. Published 7 August 2026. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile, ANZSCO 3411 Electricians. Data: May 2025, ABS Employee Earnings and Hours (customised report), national median for full-time employees. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- NSW Government (NSW Fair Trading), Electrical licences and certificates. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- TAFE NSW, TAFE NSW locations. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay Guide - Professional Employees Award [MA000065]. Published 24 June 2026. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile, ANZSCO 2332 Civil Engineering Professionals. Data: May 2025, ABS Employee Earnings and Hours (customised report), national median. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- NSW Government (Building Commission NSW), Professional engineer obligations when working on regulated buildings. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, National Register: University of Wollongong. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- NSW Government, The Welcome Experience. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑