A large number of Australians are employed as Managers and they work in many different types of organisations across all industries.

Are qualifications or experience needed?

This is a relatively skilled group, as Managers generally hold senior positions, taking responsibility for staff and operations. This means qualifications are usually needed, however, sometimes significant on-the-job experience is sufficient.

• The majority of Managers hold post-school qualifications, although this is less common for Farmers and Farm Managers and Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers.
• The need for workplace experience is reflected in the age profile of the workforce. Half of all Managers are aged 45 years or older. Just 4% are aged 15 to 24 years, although there are more opportunities for young people in Hospitality, Retail and Service Manager roles (accounting for 8% of this group).

Managers are typically skilled in communication and building relationships, planning, budgeting and problem solving.

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In which industries do Managers work?

Managers work in every industry, but the largest shares are in Retail Trade and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (both 12%). Other major employing industries include Accommodation and Food Services (9%) and Manufacturing (9%).

Some Manager occupations are concentrated in specific industries. For example, Café and Restaurant Managers are mainly employed in Accommodation and Food Services. For other Manager occupations, such as General Managers and Human Resource Managers, employment is spread across all industries.

Are there job opportunities?

When looking for Manager vacancies, remember they are not always advertised online. Some positions are filled by the promotion of existing workers, while others are advertised in less formal ways such as word of mouth or head hunting. It is important for job seekers who are looking for Manager positions to remember this and use professional networks to help bolster their recruitment chances.

Will there be future opportunities?

Managers often perform a range of non-routine, cognitive duties (such as problem solving) so this occupation group is less susceptible to automation.

Employment by occupation subgroup, Managers

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data).

Professionals is the largest employing occupation group in Australia (accounting for around one in four workers).

There are clear differences in the representation of men and women across occupations in the Professionals group. Around 74% of Health Professionals and 72% of Education Professionals are female, but 79% of ICT Professionals are male. The extent of part-time employment also varies, being relatively rare for ICT Professionals but more common for Health Professionals, Arts and Media Professionals, and Education Professionals.

In which industries do Professionals work?

Around two thirds of Professionals are employed in just three industries.

• Health Care and Social Assistance (24% of Professional employment).
• Education and Training (21%).
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (21%).

Are qualifications needed?

Most Professional jobs require a bachelor degree or higher qualification (75% of Professionals have this level of qualification), with university study the main pathway for employment. Reflecting the time it takes to gain relevant qualifications, a relatively small proportion of Professionals is aged 15 to 24 years.

In addition to qualifications, skills that are often required to be a Professional include communication, planning, project management, problem solving, writing and research.

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Are there job opportunities?

There will continue to be job opportunities for Professionals. Along with the rising demand for these workers, however, the supply of university educated Australians is also increasing, with higher education enrolments increasing significantly over the past decade. With more university graduates, and more people searching for work, there are now large numbers of qualified applicants competing for some Professional occupations.

With increased competition, job seekers are encouraged to be as flexible as possible with their availability and highlight their transferable skills and experience. Employers will be looking for reliable and flexible workers, with good communication skills who can learn new tasks quickly and adapt to new working environments. If you can, give examples from your work history which highlight these skills and make you stand out from the crowd.

Will there be future opportunities?

Professionals perform analytical, conceptual and creative tasks which are less susceptible to technological automation.

Employment by occupation subgroup, Professionals

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data).

Technicians and Trades Workers undertake a variety of skilled manual tasks. They apply technical, trade or industry specific knowledge in construction, manufacturing, scientific, engineering and other activities.

Regional employment is fairly common with more than a third of workers employed across regional Australia. A relatively large proportion of this group are self-employed (25%), particularly Construction Trades Workers (47%), and full-time work is common.

Technicians and Trades Workers has the second lowest percentage of female workers of any occupation group (16%). This is especially apparent for Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers, Construction Trades Workers, and Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers. That said, some occupations have large shares of female workers, such as Veterinary Nurses (97%) and Hairdressers (85%).

What qualifications and skills are needed?

Almost 60% of Technicians and Trades Workers hold a certificate III or higher vocational qualification, with apprenticeships and traineeships providing a key training pathway for many occupations in this group.

Common skills that are needed include general employability skills (such as communication, planning and problem solving) that are valued across most occupations.

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In which industries are Technicians and Trades Workers employed?

Construction accounts for the largest share of these workers (33%), followed by Manufacturing (14%) and Other Services (which includes automotive repair and maintenance) (13%).

Are there job opportunities?

With federal and state governments introducing or bringing forward infrastructure projects, and the new HomeBuilder program supporting jobs in the residential construction sector, these will help the Construction industry (and therefore Technicians and Trades Workers) remain an important source of jobs for Australians now and into the future.

Many vacancies for Technicians and Trades Workers can be advertised informally. When seeking work, it pays to be proactive by approaching employers directly (e.g. by email or by phone), checking social media, including jobs groups on social media platforms and reaching out through your network of family and friends.

Will there be future opportunities?

The tasks performed in this group are diverse. Some are routine, manual tasks which may be at risk of automation, although many occupations involve non-routine or unpredictable duties which are more difficult to automate.

Employment by occupation subgroup, Technicians and Trades Workers

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); National Skills Commission, A snapshot in time: The Australian labour market and COVID-19; National Skills Commission, Employers' Recruitment Insights.

Community and Personal Service Workers provide a wide range of services, including in the areas of aged and disability care, health and social welfare, child care, hospitality, policing, tourism and sports. Employment is largely concentrated in two industries, with 41% employed in Health Care and Social Assistance and 18% in Accommodation and Food Services.

Workers are mainly female (70%) and part-time employment is common (55%), although there are differences by subgroup. For example, Protective Service Workers (which includes Police, Fire and Emergency Workers and Security Officers and Guards) is largely a male workforce (76%) and has a relatively low level of part-time employment (15%).

Are qualifications needed?

Entry pathways are varied, reflecting the diverse range of services provided by workers in this group. Around 41% of workers have a certificate III or higher vocational qualification, 32% do not hold a post-school qualification and 21% have a bachelor degree or higher.

Health and Welfare Support Workers (which includes Ambulance Officers and Paramedics and Dental Hygienists, Technicians and Therapists) is the most highly educated subgroup, with 88% holding post-school qualifications.

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Are there job opportunities?

Some occupations in this group provide good entry level employment opportunities. For example, young workers (aged 15 to 24 years) account for 55% of Hospitality Workers and post-school study is often not needed for these jobs. For jobs within the health care sector, check online recruitment websites as they are regularly used by employers. It is important that you also remember to check the websites of big employers, as many will only advertise jobs on their own websites.

Will there be future opportunities?

Jobs in this group typically require skills that are less likely to be automated with technology (such as interpersonal and communication skills). A significant share of the workers in this occupation group are employed in Health Care and Social Assistance and future demand is expected to be driven by population growth, an ageing population and the continued expansion of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Employment by occupation subgroup, Community and Personal Service Workers

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); National Skills Commission, Survey of Employers' Recruitment Experiences; Victorian Council of Social Services; Supporting Australia’s future community services workforce.

Clerical and Administrative Workers provide support to businesses by organising, storing, manipulating and retrieving information. Employment is spread widely across industries but most jobs are likely to be office-based.

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There are opportunities in this group for workers who do not hold post-school qualifications, with more than a third of this group not having completed further study. Around one in five Inquiry Clerks and Receptionists are aged 15 to 24 years old, indicating this occupation is suited for job seekers looking for entry level positions.

This workforce is mainly female, with women accounting for 73% of these workers. Within this group, though, there is some variation, with women making up 95% of Personal Assistants and Secretaries but only 33% of Clerical and Office Support Workers.

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); National Skills Commission, Employers' Recruitment Insights.

Sales Workers sell goods, services and property, and provide sales support. A large share of these workers are employed in Retail Trade (60%).

Few jobs in this group require post-school qualifications and the workforce is relatively young (38% are aged 15 to 24 years).

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These are often people’s first jobs and seven day a week trading hours for many retail stores creates part-time employment opportunities for students (57% of jobs are part-time).

Jobs are often advertised through informal methods, while some vacancies are filled through applicants approaching employers for work. Research by the NSC indicates that around 33% of employers advertise by word of mouth, 14% use social media and 12% are approached directly by a job seeker.

Self-employment is relatively rare, with around 9% of workers self-employed.

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); National Skills Commission, Employers' Recruitment Insights.

Machinery Operators and Drivers operate machines and vehicles and are mainly employed in Transport, Postal and Warehousing, Manufacturing and Construction. More than one third of workers in this group are employed in regional Australia.

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Post-school qualifications are often not essential to gain employment in this group, but tickets or licences are mandatory for many positions. Employers value employability skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, creativity and initiative.

This occupation group is mostly male (89% of the workforce) and the age profile is relatively old (more than one in four workers is aged 55 years or older).

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); National Skills Commission, Employers' Recruitment Insights.

Labourers perform a variety of routine and repetitive physical tasks. Some Labourer jobs require physical fitness (like Building and Plumbing Labourers) but not all involve heavy work (for example, Fast Food Cooks).

Jobs in this group are often advertised informally, with many being filled by applicants approaching the employer directly.

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Most Labourer positions do not generally require post-school qualifications, a large share of workers are aged 15 to 24 years and part-time work is common. Accordingly, there are good opportunities for young people to gain work experience or combine work with study.

While formal qualifications are not necessarily a requirement for these roles, some may require mandatory tickets or licences. In addition, job seekers will generally need to possess a driver's licence and their own personal transport.

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); National Skills Commission, Employers' Recruitment Insights.