Wollongong is pitching itself to the world as a booming jobs hub, but a regional workforce dashboard updated this week revealed the region is struggling to fill the roles it needs most.
The Invest Wollongong 2026 Investment Prospectus released last week set a target of 20,500 new jobs by 2035. The document frames Wollongong as NSW’s fastest-growing region and a ready-made alternative to Sydney for business investment, citing the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) graduate pipeline as central to delivering that vision.
However, the RDAIS State of the Workforce dashboard, updated 22 March 2026, tells a different story. Drawing on the latest available monthly data, it estimated 1,770 unfilled vacancies across the Illawarra Shoalhaven as of January 2026. Health and Community Care, alone, accounts for 563 of those, making it the region’s most acute shortage by far.
Source: RDAIS State of Workforce dashboard
UOW Master of Nursing student and South Coast Private Hospital assistant in nursing Lachlan Wray said the shortage was visible every shift.
“On placement, there are often staffing gaps, and you can feel the pressure on the ward, especially with patient loads and critically unwell patients,” Mr Wray said.
“It’s also something that comes up a lot throughout the degree, particularly around burnout.”
The Invest Wollongong prospectus has banked on graduates like Mr Wray staying in the region.
He said many students were open to it, but only under the right conditions.
“Retention really depends on working conditions. Things like workload, support for new graduates, and support from colleagues play a big role in whether people stay long-term,” he said.
The May 2025 RDAIS State of the Workforce report found only 53.9 per cent of advertised jobs were filled across the region in 2024. These were not roles that were turned down, they were positions left empty due to a shortage of trained people available to fill them.
Image Source: South Coast Private Hospital
