Occupation is a key component for evaluating the socio-economic status of the local workers and the skills required to work in each industry sector.
The occupations of the local workers in the City of Adelaide will be influenced by factors including:
- The economic base and employment opportunities available in the City of Adelaide;
- The age of the workforce;
- The skill and qualification level required to enter an industry; and
- The working and social aspirations of the population.
For a complete local workers analysis for the City of Adelaide, view Occupations in conjunction with other indicators, such as Educational qualifications and Income.
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2016 & 2021 – by place of work
Select industry:
Current benchmark:
Sex:
| Local workers occupations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Adelaide - All industries | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
| Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | South Australia | Number | % | South Australia | 2016 - 2021 | ||
| Managers | 17,897 | 13.7 | 13.0 | 14,570 | 12.4 | 12.6 | +3,327 | ||
| Professionals | 49,532 | 38.0 | 21.4 | 40,806 | 34.7 | 20.2 | +8,726 | ||
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 8,175 | 6.3 | 13.2 | 7,815 | 6.6 | 13.4 | +360 | ||
| Community and Personal Service Workers | 13,324 | 10.2 | 13.1 | 11,782 | 10.0 | 12.0 | +1,542 | ||
| Clerical and Administrative Workers | 26,783 | 20.5 | 12.5 | 27,032 | 23.0 | 13.4 | -249 | ||
| Sales Workers | 6,185 | 4.7 | 8.5 | 7,296 | 6.2 | 9.6 | -1,111 | ||
| Machinery Operators And Drivers | 1,330 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 1,184 | 1.0 | 6.1 | +146 | ||
| Labourers | 4,852 | 3.7 | 10.5 | 5,147 | 4.4 | 11.1 | -295 | ||
| Inadequately described or not stated | 2,330 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1,980 | 1.7 | 1.5 | +350 | ||
| Total Persons | 130,408 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 117,612 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +12,796 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions) Please refer to specific data notes for more information | |||||||||
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the All industries workforce in the City of Adelaide in 2021shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (49,532 local workers or 38.0%)
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (26,783 local workers or 20.5%)
- Managers (17,897 local workers or 13.7%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 94,212 people in total or 72.2% of the All industries local workers.
In comparison, South Australia employed 21.4% as Professionals; 12.5% as Clerical and Administrative Workers and 13.0% as Managers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the workforce in the City of Adelaide and South Australia were:
- A larger percentage of local workers employed as Professionals (38.0% compared to 21.4%)
- A larger percentage of local workers employed as Clerical and Administrative Workers (20.5% compared to 12.5%)
- A smaller percentage of local workers employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (6.3% compared to 13.2%)
- A smaller percentage of local workers employed as Labourers (3.7% compared to 10.5%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the jobs held by the workforce in the City of Adelaide between2016 and 2021 were those employed as:
- Professionals (+8,726 local workers)
- Managers (+3,327 local workers)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+1,542 local workers)
- Sales Workers (-1,111 local workers)