The stamp duty cuts formed part of Treasurer Tim Pallas' recent state budget. Credit:Penny Stephens He's among thousands of Victorians who are also missing out on the benefits of the state's jobs boom. Over the 12 months to April, employment in Victoria grew by 115,600, with the state accounting for about 60 per cent of the 192,000 jobs created nationally. Yet the state's unemployment rate – a measure of the working age population actively looking for work – has remained stubbornly high, at 6.1 per cent. That compares with 5 per cent in NSW and 5.8 per cent for the nation. The reason for this apparent anomaly – strong jobs growth but a relatively high unemployment rate – has been a jump in the number of people previously "not in the labour force" who have started hunting for work.

A record two-thirds of the state's working age population (66.1 per cent) now either has a job or is searching for one. That is well above the national workforce participation rate of 64.8 per cent, and up from a state rate of 64.7 per cent a year earlier. The increase has been underpinned by a jump in the proportion of women estimated by the Bureau of Statistics to be in the labour force. For the first time, the participation rate for women has risen above 60 per cent. According to the state Treasury, job gains for women in Victoria have been mainly in service industries such as healthcare and social assistance, accommodation and food services and "other" services. Had the state's overall participation rate remained at the level it was a year earlier, unemployment in Victoria would be just 4 per cent. And had it remained at the level that prevailed in November 2014, the jobless rate would be just 3.9 per cent.

The surge in workforce participation by women has partly been attributed to a steady increase in educational levels, a structural shift away from male-dominated manufacturing towards service sector jobs, an increase in part-time work, better parental leave and more flexible working arrangements. Other figures suggest under-employment – where workers want more hours but can't get them – is a growing problem, raising questions about whether the rise in labour force participation has also been fuelled by economic necessity, as families struggle to cope with housing and other cost-of-living pressures. In Victoria, there are now almost 287,000 workers ready and willing to work more but who can't find the extra hours – equivalent to almost one in 10 workers. Almost one in seven workers now either want more hours or are unemployed and want a job. State Treasurer Tim Pallas said more people looking for work was a clear sign that confidence had been restored to the Victorian economy since the 2014 election.

He said opportunities were being created by the government's strong infrastructure pipeline, business tax cuts and investment in services. For engineers like Mr Dempsey, the West Gate distributor project, level crossing removals and metro rail seem like obvious opportunities. The drawings on his display are for bridges and train stations, which he has based on real life examples. But he's angry that despite his many qualifications, including a degree in engineering and certificates in welding, he can't get a job. "If you haven't been in the system, it's very hard to get in. If you just do something at home, it's not considered real experience," he said. "About seven years ago, all government projects required this particular 3D drafting software. Now they need you to have five years' experience in that software, so you had to be there back then or you've missed out."

"I'm not ashamed of being unemployed, I'm angry. I think it's my turn now."