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 Gold Coast City'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 2011 and 2016 – by usual residence
Select industry:
Current benchmark:
Gender:
Resident workers occupations | |||||||||
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Gold Coast City | 2016 | 2011 | Change | ||||||
Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | Queensland | Number | % | Queensland | 2011 - 2016 | ||
Managers | 32,305 | 12.4 | 12.1 | 28,562 | 12.3 | 12.0 | +3,743 | ||
Professionals | 47,674 | 18.3 | 19.8 | 40,314 | 17.4 | 18.9 | +7,360 | ||
Technicians and Trades Workers | 38,842 | 14.9 | 14.3 | 35,681 | 15.4 | 14.9 | +3,161 | ||
Community and Personal Service Workers | 31,490 | 12.1 | 11.3 | 25,168 | 10.9 | 10.0 | +6,322 | ||
Clerical and Administrative Workers | 35,397 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 33,653 | 14.5 | 14.7 | +1,744 | ||
Sales Workers | 31,579 | 12.1 | 9.7 | 29,438 | 12.7 | 9.8 | +2,141 | ||
Machinery Operators And Drivers | 13,241 | 5.1 | 6.9 | 11,839 | 5.1 | 7.3 | +1,402 | ||
Labourers | 25,481 | 9.8 | 10.5 | 22,683 | 9.8 | 10.6 | +2,798 | ||
Inadequately described or not stated | 4,534 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 4,305 | 1.9 | 1.8 | +229 | ||
Total Persons | 260,543 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 231,643 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +28,900 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions) |


Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the resident workers in Gold Coast City in 2016 shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (47,674 people or 18.3%)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (38,842 people or 14.9%)
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (35,397 people or 13.6%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 121,913 people in total or 46.8% of the resident workers (All industries).
In comparison, Queensland employed 19.8% in Professionals; 14.3% in Technicians and Trades Workers and 13.6% in Clerical and Administrative Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the resident workers (All industries) of Gold Coast City and Queensland were:
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Sales Workers (12.1% compared to 9.7%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Machinery Operators And Drivers (5.1% compared to 6.9%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Professionals (18.3% compared to 19.8%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Labourers (9.8% compared to 10.5%)
Emerging groups
The number of resident workers (All industries) in Gold Coast City increased by 28,900 between 2011 and 2016.
The largest change in the occupations of the resident workers between 2011 and 2016 in Gold Coast City were those employed as:
- Professionals (+7,360 persons)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+6,322 persons)
- Managers (+3,743 persons)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (+3,161 persons)