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Future job growth in central Melbourne

Explore jobs in demand and how many workers will be needed in the coming years.

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The future workforce

Melbourne has a big population, so there are always a lot of jobs in every industry. Jobs in the health care and community services industry are in high demand. This is to meet the needs of a growing population.

There are many opportunities in construction, clean energy and manufacturing. This is due to major investments in infrastructure. The Big Build program(opens in a new window) can help you get an apprenticeship on big infrastructure projects in Victoria.

Being a world-famous tourist destination brings in thousands of international visitors. This means there is no shortage of retail, hospitality and tourism jobs.

In Melbourne’s CBD, you will find a training and skills pathway that aligns perfectly with what you want to do.

The projected number of new workers expected in central Melbourne is:

Top jobs with a VET pathway

Below are some top occupations in inner metropolitan Melbourne which can be entered through a Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathway. Figures show the number of workers in 2024 and the new workers expected to enter the workforce by 2027 and 2034.

‘New workers expected’ accounts for workers adding new jobs to the economy and replacing retirees over the next 3 and 10 years. These projections are estimates only. There will be additional jobs available as people move between jobs and industries.

Occupation Workers 2024 New workers expected by 2027 New workers expected by 2034
Accountants 24,509 3,002 9,208
Aged and disabled carers 3,886 828 2,842
Construction managers 7,202 1,750 4,124
Software and application programmers 39,144 3,952 13,156
Vocational education teachers 2,093 294 1,090

Top industries

Below are the top 10 industries in inner metropolitan Melbourne in 2024. Figures show the number of workers in 2024 and the new workers expected to enter the workforce by 2027 and 2034.

‘New workers expected’ accounts for workers adding new jobs to the economy and replacing retirees over the next 3 and 10 years. These projections are estimates only. There will be additional jobs available as people move between jobs and industries.

Industry Workers 2024 New workers expected by 2027 New workers expected by 2034
Professional, scientific and technical services 184,088 22,967 73,721
Health care and social assistance 83,258 14,428 53,073
Financial and insurance services 102,653 10,399 35,976
Public administration and safety 59,365 6,699 23,840
Construction 39,049 9,696 19,966
Education and training 43,100 4,279 17,878
Accommodation and food services 42,039 3,663 15,230
Retail trade 42,509 3,717 14,979
Transport, postal and warehousing 28,084 3,432 11,551
Administrative and support services 28,018 2,490 9,933

Resources to plan your next steps

Visit our central Melbourne regional profile to learn more about:

Explore growing industries across Victoria

Training and careers in growing industries

Learn about high demand industries in Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of jobs you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Training and careers in your region

Explore training, skills and job opportunities in your area of Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of job you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Updated 3 March 2025

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