Trade Services Labour Demand | March – May 2025

In this briefing:

Update on labour demand for the period March – May 2025

The Tenfold Construction Job Index tracks levels of demand for roles in key trades. By tracking the number of jobs ads for tradie roles of plumbers , electricians, landscapers, and carpenters, we keep our clients informed and provide relevant insights to support recruitment strategies.

Here’s what tradies need to know about the labour trends of the quarter for March – May 2025.

Labour Demand for Electricians

Demand for electricians continues to remain high:

What the data tells us: Electricians continue to be the most in demand of all the trades. This quarter the demand was stable across March and into April before taking a tumble over the end of April due to the public holidays of Easter and ANZAC Day. The number of roles being advertised and recruited for across the March – May period varied, with a high of 80 at the beginning of the quarter to a low of 53 ads listed at the end of April.

Our coaching advice to electrical contractor businesses: competition for electricians is expected to trend up. Consider your pipeline for the next quarter to manage your recruitment needs appropriately.

Labour Demand for Plumbers

What the data tells us: After very little movement early in the quarter, recruitment for plumbers stabilised with an uptick in early May.

Our coaching advice to plumbing contractor businesses: The middle of the year generally has the decent demand for plumbers. Consider putting your oar in the water this quarter to get a jump on the competition if you’re expecting to have need for good plumbers next quarter.

Labour Demand for Landscapers

What the data tells us: As the temperature drops with the colder and wetter months so too does demand for landscapers and gardeners. A slight lift in early May was seen and then the predictable drop continued.

Our coaching advice to landscape construction businesses: A flexible workforce over these months is your best bet. Keep your top operators on and use the slower period to build their skills and improve your internal processes. Talk with a coach at Tenfold to get tips specifically for recruiting labourers for landscaping.

Labour Demand for Carpenters

What the data tells us: Demand for carpenters was stable for most of the quarter before the public holiday dip. With Victorian new builds running strong demand is likely to stay stead and trend up a bit.

Our coaching advice to carpentry businesses: Expect competition for good operators to stay strong. If your projects are going to need extra hands, consider using different recruitment tactics than your competitors to get better cut-through.

Bringing it all together

Strong resource management is essential for service-based businesses in the construction trades. Ensure your tradie business is looking ahead and adjusting your plans accordingly. If you want to explore how business coaching can help you read the play and make informed decisions, contact Tenfold.