Manufacturing: Finding Reliable Staff in a Skills-Short Market
Western Australia’s manufacturing sector is under pressure. Production schedules are tightening, skilled workers are harder to find, and the cost of a bad hire or an unfilled role is felt immediately on the floor. If you are a manufacturing business in Perth or regional WA, finding reliable and capable staff is not just a HR challenge. It is a business-critical one.
This article covers the current state of manufacturing recruitment in Western Australia, why the talent shortage is so acute, and how specialist recruitment support can help businesses hire faster, smarter, and more sustainably.
The State of Manufacturing in WA
Manufacturing in Western Australia spans a wide range of industries, from food and beverage production and industrial fabrication to mining-related manufacturing, building materials, and specialist component production. Collectively, these businesses employ tens of thousands of workers across the Perth metro area and regional centres.
The national picture offers important context. According to data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, manufacturing was once Australia’s largest employing industry, accounting for more than 13% of all filled jobs in 1994. By 2024 that share had fallen to around 6%, reflecting three decades of structural economic change. Yet despite a smaller share of the overall workforce, manufacturing remains a cornerstone of WA’s industrial economy and demand for capable production workers has not diminished.
WA’s population growth and ongoing infrastructure pipeline continue to drive increased demand for manufactured goods, putting further strain on production capacity. The result is a sector that is simultaneously active and stretched, with businesses carrying full order books but insufficient people to fulfil them.
Why Manufacturing Businesses Struggle to Hire in WA
The hiring challenges facing WA manufacturers are structural rather than cyclical. Understanding them is the first step to navigating them effectively.
Competition From the Resources Sector
Mining, oil and gas, and construction projects in WA routinely offer wage premiums that manufacturing businesses cannot match. Experienced fitters, welders, machine operators, and forklift drivers are regularly recruited away from stable manufacturing roles by resource sector contractors offering significantly higher hourly rates, FIFO loading, and overtime packages. This creates a perpetual pipeline problem for manufacturers.
An Ageing Skilled Workforce
A significant proportion of WA’s experienced manufacturing workforce is approaching retirement age. Tradespeople and production specialists who have spent 20 or 30 years in the sector are exiting faster than new entrants are being trained. Apprenticeship completions have not kept pace with attrition, leaving a meaningful skills gap across mid-level and senior production roles.
Persistent National Shortages in Trades and Machinery Roles
The challenge extends well beyond WA. Jobs and Skills Australia’s Occupation Shortage List consistently identifies technicians, trades workers, and machine operators among the hardest roles to fill in the country. Even as overall national shortage rates improved slightly in 2025, these production-facing roles remain persistently difficult to fill. The primary reason is the long training lead times and hands-on experience requirements that cannot be fast-tracked regardless of market conditions.
Limited Active Job Seekers
Experienced manufacturing workers with proven track records are rarely browsing job boards. The best candidates are typically employed and passively open to better opportunities but not actively searching. Posting a job ad alone is rarely sufficient. Effective recruitment in this space requires proactive outreach and relationship-based sourcing.
High Cost of Getting It Wrong
In a production environment, placing the wrong person carries direct operational risk. A machine operator who overstates their experience, a forklift driver who is not properly licensed, or a supervisor who cannot manage a floor team creates problems that extend far beyond the individual. The cost of replacing a poor hire in terms of downtime, retraining, safety incidents, and team morale makes getting it right the first time essential.
Candidate shortages can be problematic enough, however they are exacerbated if you delay your recruitment initiatives any longer than you have to. If you are aware that you need to add talent to your team to cover an upcoming project or to replace a staff member who is moving on, you need to act decisively, within the quickest time available. This will allow you the time to effectively complete your hiring process and make a positive hiring decision. To discuss timeframes for the current market, please call Phil on 0419 043 645.
Phil Lloyd
Director, LRG WA
Roles Commonly Recruited in WA Manufacturing
LRG WA works across the full spectrum of manufacturing roles. Commonly recruited positions include:
- Quality Assurance Technicians
- OH&S Professionals
- Production Supervisors and Team Leaders
- Schedulers and Production Planners
- Operations Managers and Plant Managers
- Logistics Professionals
Whether you need one specialist hire or are building out a team, our manufacturing recruitment team has the WA-specific networks and sector knowledge to find the right fit.
What to Look for in a Manufacturing Recruitment Partner
Not all recruitment agencies are equipped to handle manufacturing hires effectively. When selecting a recruitment partner, WA manufacturing businesses should prioritise the following:
WA-Specific Market Knowledge
The WA labour market behaves differently to the eastern states. Wage expectations, candidate availability, and industry dynamics are all specific to this geography. A recruiter who understands the Perth market and maintains an active local network will consistently outperform a national generalist operating remotely.
Access to Passive Candidates
The best manufacturing hires are often not on job boards. A recruiter with strong referral networks, and consistent industry presence will reach talent that generic advertising will not surface.
How LRG WA Supports Manufacturing Businesses
LRG WA is a Western Australia-based recruitment specialist with direct experience placing candidates across the manufacturing sector. We work with hiring managers and operations leaders to understand your specific production environment, team structure, and the requirements that separate a strong fit from a costly mistake.
Our approach prioritises quality over volume. We screen thoroughly, present only genuinely suitable candidates, and stay close to the process to ensure both employer and candidate are set up for success from day one.
We recruit for both permanent and contract positions across Perth and wider WA, with particular strength in mid-to-senior level production and operational roles. Visit our manufacturing recruitment page to learn more about how we work.
Practical Hiring Advice for WA Manufacturers
Regardless of whether you engage a recruitment agency, the following principles will improve your hiring outcomes:
Be Specific About Your Requirements
Vague job descriptions attract vague candidates. Be clear about the equipment operated, the shift structure, the physical demands, the certifications required, and the experience level you need. The more precise your brief, the faster a good recruiter can find the right match.
Start the Process Early
The worst hiring decisions happen under time pressure. If you are relying on a single experienced operator with no succession plan, or a key team member is leaving in 60 days, start the recruitment process now. Rushed hiring in manufacturing almost always leads to compromise.
Think Beyond Base Rate
You may not be able to match FIFO pay packets, but stability, career development, a positive team culture, and a reliable schedule all matter to experienced manufacturing workers who have spent time on remote sites. Lead with your genuine strengths as an employer because they are often more compelling than you might expect.
Build the Relationship Before You Need It
The most effective manufacturing businesses in WA treat recruitment as an ongoing activity rather than a reactive one. Building a relationship with a specialist recruiter before you have an urgent vacancy means you have access to a live pipeline of candidates when you need to move quickly.
Ready to Strengthen Your Manufacturing Team?
LRG WA is a WA-based recruitment specialist with direct experience in manufacturing, production, and industrial hiring. If you are struggling to find reliable staff or want to get ahead of upcoming vacancies, we would welcome a conversation.
Contact LRG WA today to discuss your hiring needs, or explore our dedicated manufacturing recruitment services to learn more about how we work.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Labour Force, Australia and Spotlight on the Australian Labour Market over the Last 30 Years. Retrieved from abs.gov.au.
- Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA). Occupation Shortage List 2025. Retrieved from jobsandskills.gov.au.