Gippsland recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers across Gippsland, from Traralgon, Morwell and Moe to Warragul, Sale, Bairnsdale, Leongatha and Wonthaggi, hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people.
Gippsland at a glance
- of recruiting Gippsland employers had difficulty filling a role
- 25%
- Year to August 2026, a lower share than most of regional Victoria.1
- of Gippsland's workers are in health care and social assistance
- 19%
- 27,600 of 145,700 employed people, year to February 2026.2
- of online job ads were for medical practitioners and nurses
- 12%
- 157 of 1,262 a month, Latrobe-Gippsland region, three-month average to September 2026.3
- unemployment rate, Latrobe City
- 5.9%
- June quarter 2026, against 2.6% in South Gippsland and 2.7% in Baw Baw.4
Which industries employ the most people in Gippsland?
Gippsland had 145,700 employed people in the year to February 2026.2 Health care and social assistance employs the most, followed by education and training and construction. Manufacturing remains a top-five employer.
Employed people by industry, Gippsland employment region, four-quarter average to February 2026.2
| Industry | Employed people |
|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 27,600 |
| Education and training | 15,400 |
| Construction | 13,200 |
| Retail trade | 12,600 |
| Manufacturing | 12,300 |
Which jobs are most advertised in Gippsland?
Employers in the Latrobe-Gippsland statistical region posted an average of 1,262 online job ads a month in the three months to September 2026.3 Health and care roles take the top two places, and legal, social and welfare professionals come third.
Online job advertisements by occupation group, Latrobe-Gippsland statistical region (SA4), three-month average to September 2026.3
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 157 |
| Carers and aides | 131 |
| Legal, social and welfare professionals | 96 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists | 81 |
| Sales assistants and salespersons | 69 |
| Hospitality, retail and service managers | 47 |
Which council areas make up Gippsland?
Gippsland is a large region with no single centre. The Latrobe Valley towns have higher unemployment than the dairy and commuter areas to the west and south.
Estimated resident population at 30 June 20255 and smoothed unemployment rate, June quarter 20264, by council area.
| Council area (main towns) | Population | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|
| Latrobe (Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Churchill) | 79,112 | 5.9% |
| Baw Baw (Warragul, Drouin) | 62,784 | 2.7% |
| East Gippsland (Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance) | 49,669 | 4.9% |
| Wellington (Sale, Maffra, Yarram) | 46,551 | 4.0% |
| Bass Coast (Wonthaggi, Inverloch, Cowes) | 44,377 | 3.1% |
| South Gippsland (Leongatha, Korumburra, Mirboo North) | 31,109 | 2.6% |
Is it hard to recruit in Gippsland?
Less often than elsewhere in regional Victoria, though it still happens. Of the 130 Gippsland employers surveyed in the year to August 2026, 46% had recruited recently, and 25% of those found it hard to fill a role.1
Where hiring was hard, the reasons given were a shortage of suitable applicants, missing technical skills, the location and the working conditions or hours.1 Specialist and senior roles still take longer, so we search the whole region and beyond for them.
Which roles do we recruit in Gippsland?
Open each role type for local demand, the 2026 national shortage rating, pay, training and what to put in your brief. We treat an occupation as in shortage when it is rated short nationally or in regional areas.
Health, aged care and disability support
Registered and enrolled nurses, allied health professionals, health administrators and managers, and support workers such as assistants in nursing and disability and aged-care support workers.
- Demand
- Latrobe-Gippsland averaged 157 online job ads a month for medical practitioners and nurses, 131 for carers and aides and 46 for health diagnostic and therapy professionals, three months to September 2026.3
- Local employment
- Health care and social assistance employed 27,600 people in Gippsland in the year to February 2026, more than any other industry.2
- Shortage
- Aged-care registered nurses, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and aged or disabled carers are rated in shortage nationally in 2026; enrolled nurses are short in regional areas.6
- What to put in your brief
- The registration, the town or service, the roster, any on-call duty and the supervision you offer.
Energy, engineering and technical roles
Electrical, mechanical and civil engineers, electrical linesworkers, technicians and drafters for power generation, transmission and the new energy projects.
- Projects
- The Gippsland coast was declared an offshore wind area on 19 December 2022, and feasibility licences have been granted. The government estimates the area could support up to 15,000 jobs during construction and 7,500 ongoing jobs.7
- Demand
- The region averaged 11 online job ads a month for engineers and 18 for engineering, ICT and science technicians, three months to September 2026.3
- Shortage
- Electrical, mechanical and civil engineers and electrical linesworkers are rated in shortage nationally in 2026.6
- Pay (graduate engineers)
- Award minimum: $34.57 an hour from 1 July 2026 for a graduate engineer with a four or five-year degree, at level 1.1 of the Professional Employees Award, where that award covers the role (council and black coal roles fall outside it).8 Market median: $59 an hour for civil engineering professionals nationally, May 2025.9
- What to put in your brief
- The discipline, the site or project stage, the safety tickets needed and how much of the work is in the field.
Trades and construction
Electricians, fitters, welders, plumbers and carpenters, plus construction supervisors and estimators.
- Demand
- Each month the region averaged 42 online job ads for automotive and engineering trades, 17 for construction trades and 13 for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades, three months to September 2026.3
- Local employment
- Construction employed 13,200 people in Gippsland in the year to February 2026.2
- Shortage
- Electricians, fitters, first-class welders and plumbers are rated in shortage nationally in 2026; construction estimators are short in regional areas.6
- Pay (electricians)
- Award minimum: $1,223.11 a week from 1 July 2026 for a licensed electrician at Electrical worker grade 5, with industry, tool and licence allowances, where the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award covers the role.10 Market median: $2,191 a week for full-time electricians nationally, May 2025.11
- What to put in your brief
- The trade, the licences and tickets, the travel between sites and the experience you need.
Community services, education and administration
Social workers, counsellors, case managers, teachers and office staff for community organisations, schools and councils.
- Demand
- Latrobe-Gippsland averaged 96 online job ads a month for legal, social and welfare professionals and 81 for general-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists, three months to September 2026.3
- Local employment
- Education and training employed 15,400 people in Gippsland in the year to February 2026.2
- Shortage
- Counsellors not elsewhere classified are rated short in regional areas in 2026; social workers are not rated in shortage.6
- What to put in your brief
- The program and its funding, the caseload, any checks the role needs and the travel across the region.
Graduates from Gippsland campuses
How we help you hire in Gippsland
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Travel and relocation in Gippsland
Gippsland stretches a long way east of Melbourne, so a role in Traralgon or Sale draws on a different pool from one in Warragul or Wonthaggi. A role in the Latrobe Valley can draw on Traralgon, Morwell, Moe and Churchill together, while the western shires sit closer to the outer south-east of Melbourne.
Tell us where the role is based, the travel between sites and any vehicle, and we put those to candidates at the start. If your preferred person is moving to Gippsland, we ask early about housing and any relocation help you can offer. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in Gippsland?
Experienced professionals and tradespeople, Federation and TAFE graduates and people moving to Gippsland can register with Hire Australia. Tell us the work you want and the towns you can reach, and we'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next Gippsland hire
Tell us the role, the town and when you'd like the person to start.
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 Gippsland towns does Hire Australia recruit in?
Hire Australia recruits for employers across Gippsland, including Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Churchill, Warragul, Drouin, Sale, Maffra, Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance, Leongatha, Korumburra and Wonthaggi. We recruit professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people, and fit each search to the town the role is based in.
Is it hard to recruit staff in Gippsland?
Less often than in most of regional Victoria. In the year to August 2026, 25% of recruiting Gippsland employers had difficulty filling a role, and a lack of suitable applicants was the most common reason.1 Specialist roles still take longer, so Hire Australia searches beyond the region when a role needs it.
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 doesn’t charge to discuss a Gippsland role, and there is no upfront payment.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Gippsland?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for employers across regional Australia, including Gippsland. We start with people who live, study or train in the region, plus experienced people in Melbourne's south-east and others planning a move east, once we understand your role.
Does Hire Australia provide labour hire for Gippsland projects?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire, temps or contractors for Gippsland sites or projects, and candidates never sit on our payroll. We find and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them from day one.
Can I register with Hire Australia to work in Gippsland?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your skills, the work you want, when you could start and which Gippsland towns you could live in or travel to. We'll talk with you about suitable roles and what a move to the region would involve.
Sources (13)
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: State Snapshot update, Victoria combined. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Year to August 2026, 130 responding employers, unweighted; small regional sample, interpret with caution. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Industry profiles, Victoria combined: Employment Region Industry profiles. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 2-digit occupations by GCCSA and SA4 regions. September data released 21 October 2026. Data: Three-month average to September 2026. 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- 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 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Gippsland, Victoria declared offshore wind area. 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- Federation University Australia, Explore our campuses. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Victorian Skills Authority, TAFE and training providers in Gippsland. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑