South Australia

The South Australia graphic shows 22% of jobs are regional. 15% of workers are aged 15 to 24 years. 17% of workers are self-employed.

The South Australia graphic shows 26% of workers hold a bachelor degree or higher. 31% of workers hold a certificate 3 or higher qualification. 6% of workers hold an other qualification. 37% of workers do not hold a post-school qualification.

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

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.