Western Australia

The West Australia graphic shows 21% of jobs are regional. 14% of workers are aged 15 to 24 years. 17% of workers are self-employed.

The West Australia graphic shows 29% of workers hold a bachelor degree or higher. 33% of workers hold a certificate 3 or higher qualification. 6% of workers hold an other qualification. 32% of workers do not hold a post-school qualification.

Top employing industries in Western Australia

Industry
Health Care and Social Assistance
Construction
Mining
Retail Trade
Public Administration and Safety
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Education and Training
Accommodation and Food Services
Manufacturing
Other Services
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
Administrative and Support Services
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Wholesale Trade
Financial and Insurance Services
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
Arts and Recreation Services
Information Media and Telecommunications

Western Australia is the fourth largest employing state, with employment mostly located in Perth.

The largest employing industry in Western Australia is Health Care and Social Assistance. Demand for work in this industry is only going to increase given Australia’s ageing population. It is worth noting that not everyone employed in this industry is a doctor or a nurse.

Some of the top employing occupations in Health Care and Social Assistance include Receptionists, General Clerks, Kitchenhands and Commercial Cleaners. These are all occupations that can be perfect entry level positions and generally require minimal qualifications or prior experience.

Unlike the rest of Australia, a large proportion of Western Australians are employed in the Mining industry (around one in 10 workers). Reflecting this, nearly half of total Mining employment is located in Western Australia.

While many jobs across Australia have been adversely affected by COVID-19, some areas of the economy have seen an increase in demand. This includes some areas of Mining and mining services.

Employment by region, Western 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 Perth 33 46 14 19 32 32 31
Bunbury 32 46 15 20 14 39 38
Western Australia - Outback 26 43 11 23 19 34 36
Western Australia - Wheat Belt 33 45 12 33 12 40 40
Western Australia 32 46 14 20 29 33 32
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; National Skills Commission, A snapshot in time: The Australian labour market and COVID-19.