Latest census outlines thriving industries
As Australia recovers and adapts to the profound impact of the pandemic on the workplace, recent census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides a snapshot of the trends and emerging fields of work and study across the nation.
Not surprisingly, a work-from-home arrangement is becoming the new normal in the country as one in four workers have home offices, compared to one in eight in the regions.
Four major industries comprise 40% of workforce
The ABS census data demonstrate that Australia remains a care-driven workforce, with health care, retail, construction, and education employing the most workers in Australia, accounting for more than 40% of the total workforce.
It further showed that 15% of Australians are employed in healthcare and social assistance alone, and there were over 260,000 nurses recorded in the 2021 census, which is a 19% increase since 2016.
The Guardian also reported that sales assistants, nurses, and general clerks are still the top three jobs in the nation for the third census running.
Among the unusual findings in the ABS data is the thriving spirits and beer manufacturing industry, with increased employment of 240% and 50%, respectively.
However, as such industries grow, other fields decline, such as video rental hiring services, with only 160 people employed, according to reports.
Women, young people
Women are continuously leading the education sector, as the census shows that an overwhelming 98% of early childhood teachers, 85% of primary school teachers, and 62% of secondary school teachers are women.
However, the Guardian reported that despite women being at the forefront, they are still paid less than men, with a difference of more than $200.
Meanwhile, young workers have also been navigating the workplace as the ABS data revealed that the median age of fast-food cooks is 18, followed by café workers at 21 years old.
Aside from the accommodation and food industry having the youngest workforce, with 45% of the sector under the age of 25, the data show that it is also one of the lowest-paid professions, earning an average of $1,220 per week, compared with $1,769 across other industries.
Qualification trends
The ABS data shows that there has been a 20% rise in people with a vocational or tertiary qualification since 2016, with over 11 million people in the country over 15 years old now holding a qualification.
“We are also up-skilling further, with 1.1 million people studying after having already obtained a non-school qualification,” ABS said in its media release.
The country has also become increasingly diversified, with qualifications in Southern Asian Languages more than double since 2016, becoming the third fastest-growing field of study.
“The growth in this area of study is in line with Punjabi emerging as one of the top five languages used at home and the continued growth in Indian and Nepalese communities throughout Australia,” ABS said. “In 2021, there were 5,600 Translators and Interpreters in Australia.”
Education and skills play a vital role in productivity development, benefitting both the individual and society, and the Productivity Commission’s (PC) latest interim report demonstrated how employers and HR could help boost Australia’s education and training system.
