Ipswich and West Moreton recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Ipswich, Springfield and Ripley, and out through the Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Boonah, hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people.
Ipswich and West Moreton at a glance
- population growth in a year, City of Ipswich
- 3.5%
- 9,138 more people in the year to June 2025, for 268,272.1
- of working Ipswich residents are in manufacturing
- 9.2%
- 9,554 people in August 2021, with 9% in public administration and safety.2
- of recruiting employers had difficulty hiring
- 48%
- Employers across Ipswich and Brisbane's west, year to August 2026, the same as the Greater Brisbane figure.3
- unemployment rate, City of Ipswich
- 4.2%
- Modelled estimate for the June quarter 2026; Lockyer Valley 3.6%, Somerset 4.1%.4
Who are Ipswich's biggest employers?
RAAF Amberley is the Air Force's largest base and employs more than 5,000 people in training, contingency response, health care, communications and other work.5 It helps explain why public administration and safety and manufacturing each employ around one in eleven working Ipswich residents, well above most cities.2 Health care is still the largest industry, and West Moreton Health serves more than 320,000 people across Ipswich, the Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley and Somerset.6
Employed residents by industry, seven largest industries, City of Ipswich, August 2021.2
| Industry | Employed residents |
|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 16,106 |
| Retail trade | 10,133 |
| Manufacturing | 9,554 |
| Public administration and safety | 9,359 |
| Education and training | 8,530 |
| Construction | 8,368 |
| Transport, postal and warehousing | 6,448 |
Where is Ipswich growing?
Ripley grew 15.4% in the year to June 2025, adding 3,131 people, the fastest growth of any area in Queensland.7 The Ripley Valley development area could eventually hold 48,750 dwellings and 131,000 people.8 Springfield Lakes, Redbank Plains and Rosewood are growing fast too, which keeps builders, trades, schools and health services busy.
Population at 30 June 2025 and growth over the year, fastest-growing Ipswich areas (SA2) by people added.7
| Area | People, June 2025 | Added in the year |
|---|---|---|
| Ripley | 23,459 | 3,131 (15.4%) |
| Springfield Lakes | 29,522 | 1,322 (4.7%) |
| Redbank Plains | 29,057 | 926 (3.3%) |
| Rosewood | 16,825 | 866 (5.4%) |
| Collingwood Park and Redbank | 14,921 | 823 (5.8%) |
What drives the rest of West Moreton?
Beyond Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley is farming country and Somerset has a strong manufacturing base. Each council area has its own mix of employers, so a role in Gatton or Esk calls for a different search from one in Springfield.
Population at 30 June 2025, largest industry of employed residents (August 2021) and smoothed unemployment rate (June quarter 2026), West Moreton council areas.1,2,4
| Council area | People | Largest industry for residents | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich | 268,272 | Health care and social assistance (15.4%) | 4.2% |
| Lockyer Valley (Gatton, Laidley) | 46,058 | Agriculture, forestry and fishing (13.6%) | 3.6% |
| Somerset (Esk, Lowood, Kilcoy) | 26,936 | Manufacturing (12.1%) | 4.1% |
How hard is it to hire in Ipswich?
Employers in the employment region covering Ipswich and Brisbane's western suburbs were among the most active in South East Queensland: 56% of those surveyed in the year to August 2026 were recruiting or had recruited in the previous month. Of those recruiting, 48% found a role hard to fill.3
The reasons they gave were a lack of suitable applicants, the working conditions or hours, missing technical skills and too few applicants.3 We ask about the roster, the site and the skills that matter most before the search starts, so the people you meet suit the job as it really is.
Which roles do we recruit in Ipswich and West Moreton?
Open a role type for the local workforce, the 2026 shortage rating, a pay benchmark, local training and what to put in your brief. We count an occupation as in shortage when the 2026 national list rates it short nationally or in regional areas.
Engineering, defence and technical
Graduate and experienced engineers, drafters, technicians and technical officers for defence suppliers, manufacturers, councils and infrastructure teams.
- Local employers
- RAAF Amberley employs more than 5,000 people.5
- Shortage
- Civil, electrical and mechanical engineers and civil engineering draftspersons are on the 2026 national shortage list.9
- Pay (graduate engineers)
- Award minimum: $34.57 an hour for a graduate with a four or five-year degree (level 1.1), where the Professional Employees Award covers the role, from 1 July 2026.10 Market median: $59 an hour for civil engineering professionals nationally, May 2025.11
- Security and clearances
- Some defence work needs a security clearance or citizenship. Tell us early, and we raise it with candidates in the first conversation.
- What to put in your brief
- The discipline, the systems or platforms involved, any clearance the role needs, the experience level and who will review a graduate's work.
Trades, construction and manufacturing
Qualified carpenters, electricians, plumbers, fitters and machinists for home builders, civil contractors, manufacturers and maintenance teams.
- Local workforce
- 8,368 Ipswich residents worked in construction and 9,554 in manufacturing in August 2021.2
- Shortage
- Carpenters, electricians, plumbers and general fitters are rated in shortage on the 2026 national list.9
- Pay (carpenters)
- Award minimum: $1,214.04 a week for a qualified carpenter (Level 3) on residential building work, under the Building and Construction General On-site Award where it covers the work, from 1 July 2026.12 Market median: $1,760 a week for full-time carpenters and joiners nationally, May 2025.13
- Growth work
- Ripley Valley and Springfield's new suburbs need homes, roads and services built for years to come.8
- What to put in your brief
- The trade, the licence, new homes, commercial or factory work, day work or shifts, and the pay range.
Health, aged care and disability support
Registered nurses and allied health professionals, health managers and administrators, and the assistants in nursing, aged-care workers and disability support workers who make up much of the care workforce.
- Local workforce
- 16,106 Ipswich residents worked in health care and social assistance in August 2021, the city's largest industry.2
- Local services
- West Moreton Health provides public health services to more than 320,000 people.6
- Shortage
- Aged-care registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and aged or disabled carers all appear on the 2026 national shortage list.9
- Local training
- TAFE Queensland's Springfield campus teaches health services, individual support and community services.14
- What to put in your brief
- The registration the role needs, the setting, the shifts and the supervision a new starter will have.
Business and public administration
Accountants, administrators, payroll, HR and procurement staff, from graduates to experienced people, for local businesses, councils and defence and government suppliers.
- Local workforce
- 14,336 Ipswich residents worked as clerical and administrative workers in August 2021.15
- Public sector
- Public administration and safety employed 9,359 working residents in August 2021.2
- Pay (accountants)
- Award coverage depends on the duties and the employer, and some accounting roles are award free, so we agree the pay range with you before the search.
- What to put in your brief
- The systems, the level of responsibility, any clearance or checks the role needs, and who the person reports to.
Graduates in Ipswich and Springfield
Graduates can study close to home here. UniSQ has campuses in Ipswich and Springfield,16 and TAFE Queensland teaches at Bundamba and Springfield.17 A graduate who grew up in Ipswich often wants a career that doesn't mean a long daily trip. Tell us how you'll support them in the first year and we raise it with every candidate.
How we help you hire in Ipswich and West Moreton
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Travel, shifts and relocation
Distances matter more once a role is outside the city. A job in Gatton, Esk or Boonah suits people who already live nearby or want a rural lifestyle, so tell us where the working day starts and whether vehicles or travel time are provided.
For shift work at a base, factory or depot, give us the roster and we build it into the search. If your preferred candidate is moving to the area, we raise the practical side of the move early, including where they plan to live and any relocation support you offer.
If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in Ipswich or West Moreton?
Experienced professionals and tradespeople, UniSQ and TAFE graduates and people moving to Ipswich, Springfield or the Lockyer Valley can register with Hire Australia. Share your skills, the area you want to work in and when you could start.
Talk to us about your next Ipswich hire
Give us the role, the site and your timing, and we'll explain how we would run the search.
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.
Which roles does Hire Australia recruit in Ipswich?
Hire Australia recruits professional, technical and trade staff for Ipswich and West Moreton employers, from graduates to experienced people. That includes engineers and technical staff for defence and manufacturing, qualified tradespeople, health professionals and support workers, and accountants and administrators. We recruit permanent staff that you employ directly.
Is it hard to recruit staff in Ipswich?
For about half of the employers who try, yes. In the year to August 2026, 48% of recruiting employers across Ipswich and Brisbane's west had difficulty filling a role, mostly because of a lack of suitable applicants, the conditions or hours, and missing technical skills.3 Hire Australia screens candidates against the skills and roster you describe.
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. Discussing an Ipswich or West Moreton role with Hire Australia costs nothing, and there is no upfront payment for the search.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Ipswich?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for employers in Ipswich, Springfield, Ripley, the Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Boonah, as well as across regional Queensland. We work with you by phone and video, and our search starts with people who live or study in the area.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.
Can I register with Hire Australia for work near Ipswich or in the Lockyer Valley?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your qualifications, the kind of work you want and the towns you can reach. We'll contact you about suitable roles in Ipswich, Springfield, the Lockyer Valley and nearby, and talk through travel, shifts and when you could start.
Sources (17)
- 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, Census 2021, G54 Industry of employment by age by sex, Local Government Areas. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: Regional Snapshot update, Queensland combined. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Year to August 2026, 142 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 ↑
- Department of Defence, RAAF Amberley: About the base. Data: Current page. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- West Moreton Health, About us. Data: Current page. 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: Year to 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Economic Development Queensland, Ripley Valley Priority Development Area. Data: At full development. 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 - 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 ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay Guide - Building and Construction General On-site Award [MA000020]. Published 2 July 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, ANZSCO Occupation data - February 2026. Data: May 2025, ABS Employee Earnings and Hours. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- TAFE Queensland, Springfield campus. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2021, G60 Occupation by age by sex, Local Government Areas. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- University of Southern Queensland, UniSQ locations (Ipswich and Springfield campuses). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- TAFE Queensland, Ipswich (Bundamba) campus. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑