Tasmania will need to double its projected Labor supply in order to undertake planned infrastructure projects before 2025.
Infrastructure Australia on Thursday released its infrastructure market capacity report which showed Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland would experience the greatest risk of labour shortage in the next four years.
"Labour shortages are anticipated to be three times greater than in 2017-2018, peaking at a likely shortfall of 105,000 unfilled roles in mid-2023 or 48 per cent higher than projected supply," the report said.
"At points between 2021-2025, all three states will require a workforce that is approximately twice the size of projected supply available within their border."
The infrastructure body said there would be a shortage of project management professionals, engineers, scientists and architects, and in structural and civil trades.
The report said Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia had each made project commitments requiring large supply in structures and civil trades as well as labour.
Civil Contractors Federation chief executive Rachael Matheson said the report made clear how badly the state needed to build up its civil sector workforce.
"That's why it's so important that the government is working with us to roll out the high-vis army strategy," she said.
"We have such a fantastic opportunity to create hundreds of new, well-paid jobs building infrastructure that is going to serve Tasmanians for years to come.
"This is a call out to any young Tasmanian or anyone looking for a career change - civil construction is going to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the state and we need you."
Australian Bureau of Statistics data from mid-2020 showed the state's construction workforce had shrunk by 6.5 per cent - or the equivalent of 1200 jobs.
There was 14 per cent fewer construction trade apprenticeship and trainee commencements in 2020 compared to the previous year.
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Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
