Occupations are a key component in evaluating the knowledge, experience and skill-levels that industry can draw upon locally. It should be viewed with other indicators, such as Age structure, Qualifications, and Income for a comprehensive analysis of the South East Queensland's local resident workers.
When comparing the occupations of local resident workers with local workers, Occupation data indicates whether an economy draws on the skills offered by its own residents or relies on a different set of skills imported from elsewhere in the region.
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2016 and 2021 – by usual residence
Current area:
Select industry:
Current benchmark:
Sex:
| Resident workers occupations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
| Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | Queensland | Number | % | Queensland | 2016 - 2021 | ||
| Managers | 231,744 | 12.7 | 12.5 | 188,532 | 12.0 | 12.1 | +43,212 | ||
| Professionals | 426,596 | 23.3 | 21.4 | 338,496 | 21.5 | 19.8 | +88,100 | ||
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 238,264 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 215,247 | 13.7 | 14.3 | +23,017 | ||
| Community and Personal Service Workers | 221,097 | 12.1 | 12.3 | 175,974 | 11.2 | 11.3 | +45,123 | ||
| Clerical and Administrative Workers | 240,588 | 13.1 | 12.7 | 224,431 | 14.3 | 13.6 | +16,157 | ||
| Sales Workers | 159,825 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 156,113 | 9.9 | 9.7 | +3,712 | ||
| Machinery Operators And Drivers | 109,498 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 93,920 | 6.0 | 6.9 | +15,578 | ||
| Labourers | 169,382 | 9.3 | 10.1 | 153,635 | 9.8 | 10.5 | +15,747 | ||
| Inadequately described or not stated | 33,592 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 25,365 | 1.6 | 1.6 | +8,227 | ||
| Total Persons | 1,830,586 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 1,571,713 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +258,873 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions) | |||||||||
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the resident workers in the South East Queensland in 2021shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (426,596 people or 23.3%)
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (240,588 people or 13.1%)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (238,264 people or 13.0%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 905,448 people in total or 49.4% of the resident workers (All industries).
In comparison, Queensland employed 21.4% in Professionals; 12.7% in Clerical and Administrative Workers and 13.7% in Technicians and Trades Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the resident workers (All industries) of the South East Queensland and Queensland were:
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Professionals (23.3% compared to 21.4%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Machinery Operators And Drivers (6.0% compared to 6.8%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Labourers (9.3% compared to 10.1%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (13.0% compared to 13.7%)
Emerging groups
The number of resident workers (All industries) in the South East Queensland increased by 258,873 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest change in the occupations of the resident workers between 2016 and 2021 in the South East Queensland were those employed as:
- Professionals (+88,100 persons)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+45,123 persons)
- Managers (+43,212 persons)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (+23,017 persons)