Top employing industries in South Australia
| Industry |
|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance |
| Retail Trade |
| Manufacturing |
| Education and Training |
| Construction |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services |
| Public Administration and Safety |
| Accommodation and Food Services |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing |
| Administrative and Support Services |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing |
| Other Services |
| Wholesale Trade |
| Financial and Insurance Services |
| Mining |
| Arts and Recreation Services |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services |
| Information Media and Telecommunications |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services |
Show all
South Australia has a relatively small workforce, with around 7% of national employment. Employment is concentrated in Adelaide, which accounts for 78% of state employment.
While there are employment opportunities available across all industries, more than one in three workers are employed in Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade or Manufacturing.
Construction and Education and Training each represent 8% of the state’s employment, with a further 6% employed in each of Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, Public Administration and Safety, and Accommodation and Food Services. Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services is South Australia’s smallest industry, accounting for 1% of employment.
Part-time employment is relatively common in this state, accounting for around 36% of employment (compared with the national average of 31%). The Barossa–Yorke–Mid North area (encompassing Clare, Peterborough, Port Pirie, Tanunda and Wallaroo) has the largest proportion of part-time employment in the state.
South Australian workers are less likely to hold post-school qualifications than workers nationally. Reversing the Australian trend, a higher share of workers in this state hold a certificate III or higher vocational qualification (31%) than those who have a bachelor degree or higher (26%).
Employment by region, South Australia
| 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 | |
| Region | % | % | % | % | % | % | % |
| Greater Adelaide | 35 | 48 | 15 | 20 | 30 | 30 | 35 |
| Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 41 | 50 | 12 | 32 | 15 | 36 | 42 |
| South Australia - Outback | 34 | 47 | 18 | 20 | 7 | 36 | 54 |
| South Australia - South East | 37 | 47 | 15 | 27 | 12 | 42 | 42 |
| South Australia | 36 | 48 | 15 | 21 | 26 | 31 | 37 |
| Australia | 31 | 47 | 15 | 19 | 33 | 30 | 32 |
Sources: ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work.