Warrnambool and South West Victoria recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Warrnambool, Portland, Hamilton, Camperdown and across South West Victoria hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people.
Warrnambool and the South West at a glance
- of recruiting South Coast employers had difficulty filling a role
- 56%
- Year to August 2026, the highest rate in regional Victoria.1
- of the region's workers are in health care and social assistance
- 20%
- 13,200 of 64,400 employed people, South Coast employment region, year to February 2026.2
- work in manufacturing, the region's second-largest industry
- 12%
- 8,000 people, year to February 2026.2
- unemployment rate, City of Warrnambool
- 2.1%
- June quarter 2026; 1.8% in Moyne and 3.2% in Glenelg.3
Which industries employ the most people in the South West?
The South Coast employment region had 64,400 employed people in the year to February 2026.2 Health care leads, and manufacturing ranks second, higher than in any other regional Victorian employment region. Agriculture is in the top five.
Employed people by industry, South Coast employment region (Warrnambool, Glenelg, Southern Grampians, Moyne, Corangamite and Colac Otway), four-quarter average to February 2026.2
| Industry | Employed people |
|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 13,200 |
| Manufacturing | 8,000 |
| Retail trade | 7,400 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,200 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 6,400 |
Which jobs are most advertised in Warrnambool and the South West?
The Warrnambool and South West statistical region averaged 761 online job ads a month in the three months to September 2026.6 Nursing and medical roles came first, closely followed by carers and aides.
Online job advertisements by occupation group, Warrnambool and South West statistical region (SA4), three-month average to September 2026.6
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 66 |
| Carers and aides | 62 |
| Sales assistants and salespersons | 50 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists | 49 |
| Legal, social and welfare professionals | 37 |
| Hospitality, retail and service managers | 30 |
Which council areas does the South West cover?
Warrnambool is the regional centre and the largest council area, followed by Glenelg and Moyne. Unemployment is below 3% in every council area except Glenelg.
Estimated resident population at 30 June 20257 and smoothed unemployment rate, June quarter 20263, by council area.
| Council area (main towns) | Population | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|
| Warrnambool | 36,255 | 2.1% |
| Glenelg (Portland, Heywood, Casterton) | 19,908 | 3.2% |
| Moyne (Port Fairy, Koroit, Mortlake) | 17,760 | 1.8% |
| Southern Grampians (Hamilton, Coleraine) | 16,483 | 2.7% |
| Corangamite (Camperdown, Terang, Cobden) | 15,712 | 1.9% |
Why is recruiting in Warrnambool so hard?
The South Coast had the highest rate of recruitment difficulty in regional Victoria in the year to August 2026. Of the 78 employers surveyed, 54% were recruiting or had recruited in the past month, and 56% of those struggled to fill a role, against 37% across the state.1
The reasons given were a lack of suitable applicants, the location, too few applicants and applicants without enough experience.1 With so few people out of work, a good search reaches people in work locally and people willing to move.
Which roles do we recruit in Warrnambool and the South West?
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 managers, and support workers such as assistants in nursing and disability and aged-care support workers.
- Demand
- The region averaged 66 online job ads a month for medical practitioners and nurses, 62 for carers and aides and 30 for health diagnostic and therapy professionals, three months to September 2026.6
- Local employment
- Health care and social assistance employed 13,200 people in the South Coast region in the year to February 2026.2
- Shortage
- Aged-care registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and aged or disabled carers are rated in shortage nationally in 2026; enrolled nurses are short in regional areas.8
- What to put in your brief
- The registration, the town or service, the roster and how you help staff settle in the region.
Manufacturing, food processing and engineering
Mechanical and electrical engineers, maintenance fitters, electricians, production and quality managers, and technical staff for smelting, dairy and meat processing.
- Local employment
- Manufacturing employed 8,000 people in the South Coast region in the year to February 2026.2
- Local employer
- Portland Aluminium has about 600 direct employees.5
- Shortage
- Mechanical and electrical engineers, fitters and electricians are rated in shortage nationally in 2026.8
- Pay (electricians)
- Award minimum: $1,223.11 a week from 1 July 2026 for Electrical worker grade 5 (a licensed electrician), including industry, tool and licence allowances, where the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award covers the work.9 Market median: $2,191 a week for full-time electricians nationally, May 2025.10
- What to put in your brief
- The plant or process, the shift pattern, the tickets and licences, and the experience you need.
Agriculture and dairy
Farm and dairy managers, agronomists, veterinarians and agricultural technicians.
- Local employment
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing employed 6,400 people in the South Coast region in the year to February 2026.2
- Demand
- The region averaged 19 online job ads a month for farm, forestry and garden workers, three months to September 2026.6
- Shortage
- Veterinarians, agronomists and agricultural and agritech technicians are rated in shortage nationally in 2026.8
- What to put in your brief
- The herd or enterprise size, the systems you use, the housing on offer and the experience level.
Hospitality, tourism and business
Chefs, hospitality and venue managers, accountants and office staff for the coast's tourism businesses and the region's professional services.
- Demand
- The region averaged 30 online job ads a month for hospitality, retail and service managers and 49 for general-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists, three months to September 2026.6
- Local employment
- Accommodation and food services employed 7,200 people in the South Coast region in the year to February 2026.2
- Shortage
- Chefs and taxation accountants are rated in shortage nationally in 2026; general accountants are not.8
- What to put in your brief
- The venue or practice, the seasonal peaks, the hours and the experience you need.
Graduates from South West campuses
How we help you hire in Warrnambool and the South West
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Attracting people to the South West
With unemployment around 2% in Warrnambool, Moyne and Corangamite,3 most hires here mean attracting someone from another employer or another region. We raise housing and a partner's work with candidates early, because both can shape a decision to move.
Tell us where the role is based, the hours and any travel, and we cover them with candidates at the start. If your preferred person is moving to the South West, we also talk through any relocation help you offer. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in Warrnambool or the South West?
Experienced professionals and tradespeople, Deakin and South West TAFE graduates and people thinking about a move to the coast can register with Hire Australia. Tell us the work you want, when you could start and where you would live, and we'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next South West 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.
Does Hire Australia recruit in Portland and Hamilton as well as Warrnambool?
Yes. Hire Australia recruits for employers across Warrnambool and South West Victoria, including Portland, Port Fairy, Koroit, Hamilton, Camperdown, Terang, Cobden and Heywood. We recruit professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people, and plan each search around the town and the travel the role involves.
Why is it hard to recruit staff in Warrnambool?
In the year to August 2026, 56% of recruiting South Coast employers had difficulty filling a role, the highest rate in regional Victoria, and a lack of suitable applicants was the most common reason.1 With unemployment low, Hire Australia searches beyond the region and talks with candidates about the move from the start.
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 Warrnambool or South West role, and there is no upfront payment.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Warrnambool?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for employers across regional Australia, including Warrnambool and the South West. We start with people who live, study or train in the region, plus people in Geelong, Ballarat, Melbourne and elsewhere who want a coastal move, once we understand your role.
Does Hire Australia provide labour hire for South West farms or factories?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire, temps or contractors to South West farms, plants or businesses, and candidates are never on our payroll. We find and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you employ them from their first day.
Can I register with Hire Australia to work in the South West?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your skills, the work you want, when you could start and which South West towns would suit you. We'll talk with you about suitable roles and what living on the south-west coast involves.
Sources (12)
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: State Snapshot update, Victoria combined. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Year to August 2026, 78 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- Victorian Skills Authority, Warrnambool, Hamilton and surrounds: training and careers. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Alcoa, Portland Aluminium smelter fact sheet. Data: 2025. 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- Deakin University, Deakin campuses in Australia. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Victorian Skills Authority, TAFE and training providers in Warrnambool, Hamilton and surrounds. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑