Industry sectors

Derived from the two Census questions, '[What] best describes the business of [your] employer?' and 'What are the main goods produced or main services provided by [your] employer's business?' and relates only to persons aged 15 years or more.

The Industry Sector data identifies the industries in which the residents of an area work (this may be within the residing area or elsewhere). The Industry Sectors in which the residents of an area work is indicative of the skill base and (to some extent) the socio-economic status and industry structure of an area. The industries that are prominent in an area are strongly related to a range of factors including:

• the economic base and employment opportunities available within commuting distance;
• the educational levels of the local population; and
• the working and social aspirations of the local population.

Comparing the industry sectors in which local residents are employed to the industry sectors that are located in the local area indicates whether an economy draws on the skills offered by its own residents, or on a different set of skills imported from elsewhere in the region. To find out whether residents of the local area work in the local area or elsewhere (level of self-containment by industry sector), go to the section 'Where do the residents work?'