Australian Jobs 2021
Education and Training
Annual Employment Growth (%)
Education and Training is one of Australia’s largest employing industries, and includes teaching occupations across all levels of schools, as well as University Lecturers and Tutors. Around 72% of the workforce is female, the second highest percentage for any industry within Australia. Part-time work is also relatively common (around 40% of workers).
Top employing occupations
| Occupation | This industry | All industries |
|---|---|---|
| Primary School Teachers | 166,300 | 178,900 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 120,300 | 121,000 |
| Education Aides | 99,100 | 118,800 |
| University Lecturers and Tutors | 59,400 | 60,400 |
| Private Tutors and Teachers | 45,600 | 51,900 |
| Child Carers | 37,100 | 132,500 |
| General Clerks | 36,200 | 311,200 |
| Vocational Education Teachers | 29,600 | 38,000 |
| Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers | 27,900 | 51,100 |
| Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials | 25,600 | 62,700 |
| School Principals | 23,100 | 23,900 |
| Special Education Teachers | 17,200 | 17,800 |
| Education Advisers and Reviewers | 18,100 | 19,800 |
| Commercial Cleaners | 15,800 | 167,000 |
| Other Education Managers | 10,800 | 12,800 |
| Office Managers | 10,500 | 115,900 |
| Counsellors | 9,300 | 25,700 |
| Contract, Program and Project Administrators | 9,100 | 123,000 |
| Receptionists | 8,300 | 164,500 |
| ICT Support Technicians | 6,600 | 61,100 |
Most people who work in Education and Training have post-school qualifications, with more than two-thirds of workers holding a bachelor degree or higher (the highest of any industry). Reflecting the time taken to gain these qualifications, only 9% of this workforce is aged 15 to 24 years old. While most jobs need a university degree, lower skilled jobs like Education Aides can provide an employment pathway to enter the industry.
In addition, a relatively large share of workers is aged 55 years or older (23%), which suggests retirements will create employment opportunities in this industry over the next decade.
Sources: ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work.