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.
Top Employing Occupations
| Occupation |
|---|
| Retail Managers |
| Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers |
| Construction Managers |
| Livestock Farmers |
| Human Resource Managers |
| Other Specialist Managers |
| Finance Managers |
| ICT Managers |
| Other Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers |
| Production Managers |
| Cafe and Restaurant Managers |
| Supply, Distribution and Procurement Managers |
| Crop Farmers |
| General Managers |
| Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers |
| Chief Executives and Managing Directors |
| Conference and Event Organisers |
| Policy and Planning Managers |
| Call or Contact Centre and Customer Service Managers |
| Health and Welfare Services Managers |
Show all
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
| Employment Profile | Workforce Educational Profile | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time | Female | Aged 15 to 24 years | Aged 55 years or older | Bachelor degree or higher | Cert III or higher VET qual | No post-school qual | |
| Occupation subgroup | % | % | % | % | % | % | % |
| Chief Executives, General Managers and Legislators | 11 | 27 | 0 | 30 | 54 | 27 | 12 |
| Farmers and Farm Managers | 20 | 29 | 4 | 54 | 19 | 29 | 46 |
| Specialist Managers | 10 | 36 | 2 | 21 | 50 | 28 | 19 |
| Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers | 17 | 48 | 8 | 21 | 24 | 35 | 35 |
| All Managers | 14 | 38 | 4 | 25 | 38 | 30 | 27 |
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).