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 City of Brisbane'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:
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Current benchmark:
Sex:
Resident workers occupations | |||||||||
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City of Brisbane | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | Queensland | Number | % | Queensland | 2016 - 2021 | ||
Managers | 92,784 | 14.0 | 12.5 | 74,502 | 13.1 | 12.1 | +18,282 | ||
Professionals | 212,007 | 32.0 | 21.4 | 170,412 | 29.9 | 19.8 | +41,595 | ||
Technicians and Trades Workers | 65,259 | 9.9 | 13.7 | 60,099 | 10.5 | 14.3 | +5,160 | ||
Community and Personal Service Workers | 69,720 | 10.5 | 12.3 | 57,784 | 10.1 | 11.3 | +11,936 | ||
Clerical and Administrative Workers | 87,018 | 13.1 | 12.7 | 83,217 | 14.6 | 13.6 | +3,801 | ||
Sales Workers | 50,848 | 7.7 | 8.7 | 50,308 | 8.8 | 9.7 | +540 | ||
Machinery Operators And Drivers | 28,189 | 4.3 | 6.8 | 23,425 | 4.1 | 6.9 | +4,764 | ||
Labourers | 45,592 | 6.9 | 10.1 | 41,837 | 7.3 | 10.5 | +3,755 | ||
Inadequately described or not stated | 10,905 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 8,881 | 1.6 | 1.6 | +2,024 | ||
Total Persons | 662,322 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 570,465 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +91,857 | ||
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 City of Brisbane in 2021shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (212,007 people or 32.0%)
- Managers (92,784 people or 14.0%)
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (87,018 people or 13.1%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 391,809 people in total or 59.1% of the resident workers (All industries).
In comparison, Queensland employed 21.4% in Professionals; 12.5% in Managers and 12.7% in Clerical and Administrative Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the resident workers (All industries) of the City of Brisbane and Queensland were:
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Professionals (32.0% compared to 21.4%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (9.9% compared to 13.7%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Labourers (6.9% compared to 10.1%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Machinery Operators And Drivers (4.3% compared to 6.8%)
Emerging groups
The number of resident workers (All industries) in the City of Brisbane increased by 91,857 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest change in the occupations of the resident workers between 2016 and 2021 in the City of Brisbane were those employed as:
- Professionals (+41,595 persons)
- Managers (+18,282 persons)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+11,936 persons)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (+5,160 persons)