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 Cairns'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
Select industry:
Current benchmark:
Sex:
| Resident workers occupations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
| Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | Queensland | Number | % | Queensland | 2016 - 2021 | ||
| Managers | 8,814 | 11.1 | 12.5 | 7,929 | 10.9 | 12.1 | +885 | ||
| Professionals | 16,235 | 20.4 | 21.4 | 13,936 | 19.2 | 19.8 | +2,299 | ||
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 11,931 | 15.0 | 13.7 | 10,826 | 15.0 | 14.3 | +1,105 | ||
| Community and Personal Service Workers | 11,887 | 14.9 | 12.3 | 9,951 | 13.7 | 11.3 | +1,936 | ||
| Clerical and Administrative Workers | 9,531 | 12.0 | 12.7 | 9,545 | 13.2 | 13.6 | -14 | ||
| Sales Workers | 7,525 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 7,767 | 10.7 | 9.7 | -242 | ||
| Machinery Operators And Drivers | 4,478 | 5.6 | 6.8 | 4,087 | 5.6 | 6.9 | +391 | ||
| Labourers | 7,874 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 7,138 | 9.9 | 10.5 | +736 | ||
| Inadequately described or not stated | 1,372 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1,232 | 1.7 | 1.6 | +140 | ||
| Total Persons | 79,647 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 72,411 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +7,236 | ||
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 Cairns in 2021shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (16,235 people or 20.4%)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (11,931 people or 15.0%)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (11,887 people or 14.9%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 40,053 people in total or 50.3% of the resident workers (All industries).
In comparison, Queensland employed 21.4% in Professionals; 13.7% in Technicians and Trades Workers and 12.3% in Community and Personal Service Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the resident workers (All industries) of Cairns and Queensland were:
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Community and Personal Service Workers (14.9% compared to 12.3%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Managers (11.1% compared to 12.5%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (15.0% compared to 13.7%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Machinery Operators And Drivers (5.6% compared to 6.8%)
Emerging groups
The number of resident workers (All industries) in Cairns increased by 7,236 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest change in the occupations of the resident workers between 2016 and 2021 in Cairns were those employed as:
- Professionals (+2,299 persons)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+1,936 persons)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (+1,105 persons)
- Managers (+885 persons)