Gippsland job market update December 2025- March 2026

Gippsland Job Market Update: December 25 – March 2026

A quiet start to the year (which is pretty normal around here).

Every year around Christmas, the job market across Gippsland slows down. Businesses close for the holidays, managers go on leave, and recruitment tends to pause for a few weeks.

So if things felt quiet between December 25 and late January, that’s completely normal. It happens every year.

For most employers, hiring doesn’t really start again until late January or February, once everyone is back at work and businesses start planning the year ahead.

December to January: The holiday slowdown

From Christmas through the first few weeks of January, the region was pretty quiet from a hiring perspective.

A lot of businesses across Gippsland shut down or run with minimal staff over the holiday period. That means job ads drop off and recruitment decisions often get pushed into the new year.

This doesn’t mean jobs disappear — it’s more like the job market hits the pause button for a few weeks.

February: Businesses slowly get moving again

By February, things usually start picking up again.

Employers begin reviewing staffing needs, new budgets kick in, and recruitment activity slowly starts returning. Across Gippsland this year, hiring has been steady rather than booming.

Some businesses are still being cautious due to rising costs and interest rates, so a few employers are taking a “wait and see” approach before expanding their teams.

That said, we are still seeing steady demand in some local industries.

Construction and trades still busy

Construction and trades continue to be one of the stronger areas for employment in Gippsland.

Growing towns like Warragul, Drouin and parts of the Latrobe Valley are still seeing housing development and infrastructure upgrades, which keeps demand steady for:

- builders

- electricians

- plumbers

- labourers

- construction supervisors

Employers in these industries often say they struggle to find enough skilled workers locally.

Agriculture keeps the region moving

Agriculture and food production remain major employers across Gippsland.

Dairy farms, food processing businesses and agricultural suppliers provide thousands of jobs across the region. Unlike some industries, agriculture tends to hire consistently throughout the year, even when other sectors slow down.

This helps keep the local job market relatively stable.

Renewable energy projects on the horizon

One of the biggest long-term changes happening in Gippsland is the shift toward renewable energy.

Projects like the Delburn Wind Farm in the Latrobe Valley are expected to begin construction in the coming years and could create hundreds of regional jobs during the building phase.

At the same time, major infrastructure projects such as Marinus Link — the electricity connection between Tasmania and Victoria — are expected to involve significant construction work across parts of Gippsland as the project develops.

These kinds of projects usually bring work for:

- construction workers

- electrical trades

- engineers

- project support staff

- local contractors and suppliers

Many of these roles will appear closer to construction start dates.

So… was it a quiet period?

Honestly, yes.

The period between Christmas and early February is traditionally one of the slowest times of the year for hiring in Gippsland. Businesses take a break, budgets reset, and recruitment takes a while to restart.

By March, things normally start moving again as businesses settle into the year and begin planning ahead.

A quick tip for job seekers

If you’re thinking about changing jobs in 2026, the quiet start to the year can actually be a good time to prepare.

Updating your resume, refreshing your LinkedIn profile, and getting ready for new opportunities can make a big difference once hiring activity starts picking up again.

And if you need a hand with that, that’s exactly what we’re here for at Gippsland Resumes.

Because when the right job comes along, it helps to be ready...