Australian Jobs 2021
Public Administration and Safety
Annual employment growth (%)
Public Administration and Safety includes federal, state and local government administration and services like the police force. It has been one of the few industries to experience growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in workers is potentially due to the development and implementation of support programs as part of the Australian Government’s COVID-19 economic response, or equivalent state and territory government initiatives.
Top employing occupations
| Occupation | This industry | All industries |
|---|---|---|
| General Clerks | 75,200 | 311,200 |
| Police | 67,800 | 70,900 |
| Security Officers and Guards | 40,400 | 52,500 |
| Contract, Program and Project Administrators | 35,700 | 123,000 |
| Intelligence and Policy Analysts | 25,600 | 34,400 |
This workforce is relatively skilled (around three quarters of workers hold post-school qualifications), relatively old (just 5% are aged 15 to 24 years) and full-time work is common (83% of employment). Given this, there are fewer opportunities for entry level positions within this industry. All federal government departments, though, offer graduate programs for university graduates interested in a career in the Australian Public Service.
Sources: ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work.