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 Wollongong City will be influenced by factors including:
- The economic base and employment opportunities available in Wollongong City;
- 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 Wollongong City, view Occupations in conjunction with other indicators, such as Educational qualifications and Income.
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2011 (experimental imputed) & 2016 – by place of work
Select industry:
Current benchmark:
Gender:
Local workers occupations | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wollongong City - All industries | 2016 | 2011 | Change | ||||||
Occupations (Click rows to view sub-categories) | Number | % | New South Wales | Number | % | New South Wales | 2011 - 2016 | ||
Managers | 7,908 | 10.0 | 13.5 | 7,509 | 9.6 | 13.3 | +399 | ||
Professionals | 18,030 | 22.8 | 23.6 | 16,878 | 21.5 | 22.7 | +1,152 | ||
Technicians and Trades Workers | 10,908 | 13.8 | 12.7 | 11,736 | 15.0 | 13.2 | -828 | ||
Community and Personal Service Workers | 9,621 | 12.1 | 10.4 | 8,345 | 10.6 | 9.5 | +1,276 | ||
Clerical and Administrative Workers | 11,930 | 15.1 | 13.8 | 12,128 | 15.5 | 15.0 | -198 | ||
Sales Workers | 7,287 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 7,201 | 9.2 | 9.3 | +86 | ||
Machinery Operators And Drivers | 5,319 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 6,221 | 7.9 | 6.4 | -902 | ||
Labourers | 6,946 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 7,040 | 9.0 | 8.7 | -94 | ||
Inadequately described or not stated | 1,274 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1,304 | 1.7 | 1.8 | -30 | ||
Total Persons | 79,223 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 78,362 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +861 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. 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 Wollongong City in 2016 shows the three most popular occupations were:
- Professionals (18,030 local workers or 22.8%)
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (11,930 local workers or 15.1%)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (10,908 local workers or 13.8%)
In combination these three occupations accounted for 40,868 people in total or 51.6% of the All industries local workers.
In comparison, New South Wales employed 23.6% as Professionals; 13.8% as Clerical and Administrative Workers and 12.7% as Technicians and Trades Workers.
The major differences between the jobs held by the workforce in Wollongong City and New South Wales were:
- A smaller percentage of local workers employed as Managers (10.0% compared to 13.5%)
- A larger percentage of local workers employed as Community and Personal Service Workers (12.1% compared to 10.4%)
- A larger percentage of local workers employed as Clerical and Administrative Workers (15.1% compared to 13.8%)
- A larger percentage of local workers employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (13.8% compared to 12.7%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the jobs held by the workforce in Wollongong City between 2011 and 2016 were those employed as:
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+1,276 local workers)
- Professionals (+1,152 local workers)
- Machinery Operators And Drivers (-902 local workers)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (-828 local workers)