Cairns
Resident workers - Occupations of employment
There are more resident workers professionals in Cairns 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 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.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2011 and 2016 – by usual residence
| Resident workers occupations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | 2016 | 2011 | Change | ||||||
| Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | Retail Trade% | Number | % | Retail Trade% | 2011 to 2016 | ||
| Managers | 7,929 | 10.9 | 15.3 | 7,766 | 11.2 | 17.2 | +163 | 25000 | P |
| Professionals | 13,936 | 19.2 | 2.9 | 12,283 | 17.7 | 2.6 | +1,653 | 26000 | P |
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 10,826 | 15.0 | 6.1 | 10,987 | 15.9 | 6.2 | -161 | 27000 | P |
| Community and Personal Service Workers | 9,951 | 13.7 | 0.9 | 8,379 | 12.1 | 0.9 | +1,572 | 28000 | P |
| Clerical and Administrative Workers | 9,545 | 13.2 | 5.4 | 10,018 | 14.5 | 6.8 | -473 | 29000 | P |
| Sales Workers | 7,767 | 10.7 | 57.9 | 7,571 | 10.9 | 54.9 | +196 | 30000 | P |
| Machinery Operators And Drivers | 4,087 | 5.6 | 3.1 | 4,069 | 5.9 | 3.0 | +18 | 31000 | P |
| Labourers | 7,138 | 9.9 | 7.8 | 6,858 | 9.9 | 7.7 | +280 | 32000 | P |
| Inadequately described or not stated | 1,232 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1,277 | 1.8 | 0.7 | -45 | 33000 | P |
| Total persons | 72,411 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 69,208 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +3,203 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window), the population experts.
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the resident workers in Cairns in 2016 shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (13,936 people or 19.2%)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (10,826 people or 15.0%)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (9,951 people or 13.7%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 34,713 people in total or 47.9% of the resident workers .
In comparison, Retail Trade employed 2.9% in Professionals; 6.1% in Technicians and Trades Workers; and 0.9% in Community and Personal Service Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the resident workers of Cairns and Retail Trade were:
- A larger percentage of resident workers employed as Professionals (19.2% compared to 2.9%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers employed as Community and Personal Service Workers (13.7% compared to 0.9%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (15.0% compared to 6.1%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers employed as Sales Workers (10.7% compared to 57.9%)
Emerging groups
The number of people in the resident workers ] in Cairns increased by 3,203 between 2011 and 2016.
The largest changes in the occupations of the resident workers between 2011 and 2016 in Cairns were for those employed as:
- Professionals (+1,653 people)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+1,572 people)
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (-473 people)
- Labourers (+280 people)