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 Greater Sydney'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 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Sydney | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
| Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | New South Wales | Number | % | New South Wales | 2016 - 2021 | ||
| Managers | 350,289 | 15.4 | 14.6 | 296,107 | 13.9 | 13.5 | +54,182 | ||
| Professionals | 681,002 | 29.9 | 25.8 | 571,903 | 26.8 | 23.6 | +109,099 | ||
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 232,507 | 10.2 | 11.9 | 243,452 | 11.4 | 12.7 | -10,945 | ||
| Community and Personal Service Workers | 205,464 | 9.0 | 10.6 | 200,895 | 9.4 | 10.4 | +4,569 | ||
| Clerical and Administrative Workers | 314,770 | 13.8 | 13.0 | 312,043 | 14.6 | 13.8 | +2,727 | ||
| Sales Workers | 174,697 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 190,195 | 8.9 | 9.2 | -15,498 | ||
| Machinery Operators And Drivers | 126,994 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 119,655 | 5.6 | 6.1 | +7,339 | ||
| Labourers | 149,662 | 6.6 | 8.2 | 156,992 | 7.4 | 8.8 | -7,330 | ||
| Inadequately described or not stated | 44,473 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 41,849 | 2.0 | 1.8 | +2,624 | ||
| Total Persons | 2,279,858 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 2,133,091 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +146,767 | ||
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 Greater Sydney in 2021shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (681,002 people or 29.9%)
- Managers (350,289 people or 15.4%)
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (314,770 people or 13.8%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 1,346,061 people in total or 59.0% of the resident workers (All industries).
In comparison, New South Wales employed 25.8% in Professionals; 14.6% in Managers and 13.0% in Clerical and Administrative Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the resident workers (All industries) of Greater Sydney and New South Wales were:
- A larger percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Professionals (29.9% compared to 25.8%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (10.2% compared to 11.9%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Labourers (6.6% compared to 8.2%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers (All industries) employed as Community and Personal Service Workers (9.0% compared to 10.6%)
Emerging groups
The number of resident workers (All industries) in Greater Sydney increased by 146,767 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest change in the occupations of the resident workers between 2016 and 2021 in Greater Sydney were those employed as:
- Professionals (+109,099 persons)
- Managers (+54,182 persons)
- Sales Workers (-15,498 persons)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (-10,945 persons)