Australian Jobs 2021
Wholesale Trade
Annual Employment Growth (%)
Wholesalers do not usually have a shop front to sell their items; they are the middle step between producers and retailers. It is one of the smaller employing industries, with employment mainly located in the capital cities along Australia’s east coast.
While close to 40% of this workforce does not have post-school qualifications, only a small share of this industry are younger workers (8% are aged 15 to 24 years).
Top employing occupations
| Occupations | This industry | All industries |
|---|---|---|
| Storepersons | 28,600 | 137,900 |
| Importers, Exporters and Wholesalers | 20,800 | 25,800 |
| Purchasing and Supply Logistics Clerks | 20,700 | 94,000 |
| Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers | 20,400 | 156,500 |
| General Sales Assistants | 19,500 | 586,200 |
| Sales Representatives | 17,700 | 65,900 |
| Retail Managers | 14,200 | 262,500 |
| Technical Sales Representatives | 12,500 | 23,500 |
| General Clerks | 10,900 | 311,200 |
| Forklift Drivers | 9,500 | 61,400 |
| Accounting Clerks | 9,300 | 144,100 |
| Truck Drivers | 9,000 | 160,500 |
| Delivery Drivers | 8,200 | 74,900 |
| Metal Fitters and Machinists | 7,100 | 106,000 |
| Office Managers | 6,800 | 115,900 |
| Supply, Distribution and Procurement Managers | 6,600 | 41,800 |
| Accountants | 5,500 | 198,100 |
| Packers | 5,100 | 71,300 |
| Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons | 4,500 | 27,800 |
| Production Managers | 4,100 | 61,500 |
From June to December 2020, Wholesale Trade showed the lowest level of recruitment by any industry with just 27% of employers stating they were or had recruited in the past month. Around one in five employers in this industry also don’t advertise their vacancies, instead relying on word-of-mouth or recruiting job seekers who approach their business. Although entry level opportunities exist in every industry, positions in Wholesale Trade may be better suited to older job seekers who possess the practical experience employers seek and have the connections to find work in this industry.
Sources: ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work.