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 Cairns will be influenced by factors including:
- The economic base and employment opportunities available in Cairns;
- 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 Cairns, 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 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns - All industries | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
| Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | Queensland | Number | % | Queensland | 2016 - 2021 | ||
| Managers | 8,424 | 11.3 | 12.4 | 7,589 | 11.2 | 12.1 | +835 | ||
| Professionals | 15,661 | 21.0 | 21.4 | 13,376 | 19.8 | 19.9 | +2,285 | ||
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 10,230 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 9,175 | 13.6 | 14.2 | +1,055 | ||
| Community and Personal Service Workers | 11,365 | 15.3 | 12.4 | 9,417 | 14.0 | 11.4 | +1,948 | ||
| Clerical and Administrative Workers | 9,384 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 9,423 | 14.0 | 13.7 | -39 | ||
| Sales Workers | 7,330 | 9.9 | 8.7 | 7,635 | 11.3 | 9.7 | -305 | ||
| Machinery Operators And Drivers | 3,637 | 4.9 | 6.8 | 3,394 | 5.0 | 6.9 | +243 | ||
| Labourers | 7,112 | 9.6 | 10.1 | 6,355 | 9.4 | 10.6 | +757 | ||
| Inadequately described or not stated | 1,259 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1,101 | 1.6 | 1.6 | +158 | ||
| Total Persons | 74,402 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 67,465 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +6,937 | ||
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 Cairns in 2021shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (15,661 local workers or 21.0%)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (11,365 local workers or 15.3%)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (10,230 local workers or 13.7%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 37,256 people in total or 50.1% of the All industries local workers.
In comparison, Queensland employed 21.4% as Professionals; 12.4% as Community and Personal Service Workers and 13.7% as Technicians and Trades Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the workforce in Cairns and Queensland were:
- A larger percentage of local workers employed as Community and Personal Service Workers (15.3% compared to 12.4%)
- A smaller percentage of local workers employed as Machinery Operators And Drivers (4.9% compared to 6.8%)
- A larger percentage of local workers employed as Sales Workers (9.9% compared to 8.7%)
- A smaller percentage of local workers employed as Managers (11.3% compared to 12.4%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the jobs held by the workforce in Cairns between2016 and 2021 were those employed as:
- Professionals (+2,285 local workers)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+1,948 local workers)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (+1,055 local workers)
- Managers (+835 local workers)