RDA Darling Downs and South West Region
Resident workers - Occupations of employment
There are more resident workers (All industries) Professionals in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region than any other occupation.
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 RDA Darling Downs and South West Region'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 2011 and 2016 – by usual residence
Resident workers occupations | |||||||||
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RDA Darling Downs and South West Region | 2016 | 2011 | Change | ||||||
Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | Queensland | Number | % | Queensland | 2011 - 2016 | ||
Managers | 17,755 | 15.2 | 12.1 | 18,364 | 15.9 | 12.0 | -609 | ||
Professionals | 18,688 | 16.0 | 19.8 | 17,417 | 15.1 | 18.9 | +1,271 | ||
Technicians and Trades Workers | 17,013 | 14.6 | 14.3 | 16,932 | 14.6 | 14.9 | +81 | ||
Community and Personal Service Workers | 12,113 | 10.4 | 11.3 | 10,764 | 9.3 | 10.0 | +1,349 | ||
Clerical and Administrative Workers | 14,500 | 12.4 | 13.6 | 14,757 | 12.8 | 14.7 | -257 | ||
Sales Workers | 10,117 | 8.7 | 9.7 | 10,012 | 8.7 | 9.8 | +105 | ||
Machinery Operators And Drivers | 9,008 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 9,687 | 8.4 | 7.3 | -679 | ||
Labourers | 15,679 | 13.5 | 10.5 | 15,843 | 13.7 | 10.6 | -164 | ||
Inadequately described or not stated | 1,643 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1,875 | 1.6 | 1.8 | -232 | ||
Total Persons | 116,516 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 115,651 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +865 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id informed decisions |


Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the resident workers in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region in 2016 shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (18,688 people or 16.0%)
- Managers (17,755 people or 15.2%)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (17,013 people or 14.6%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 53,456 people in total or 45.9% of the resident workers (All industries).
In comparison, Queensland employed 19.8% in Professionals; 12.1% in Managers and 14.3% in Technicians and Trades Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the resident workers (All industries) of the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region and Queensland were:
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Professionals (16.0% compared to 19.8%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Managers (15.2% compared to 12.1%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Labourers (13.5% compared to 10.5%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Clerical and Administrative Workers (12.4% compared to 13.6%)
Emerging groups
The number of resident workers (All industries) in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region increased by 865 between 2011 and 2016.
The largest change in the occupations of the resident workers between 2011 and 2016 in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region were those employed as:
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+1,349 persons)
- Professionals (+1,271 persons)
- Machinery Operators And Drivers (-679 persons)
- Managers (-609 persons)