Census data released on Wednesday sheds new light on the work and study habits of Australians during the pandemic.
Information from the 2021 census, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), highlights the profound impact of Covid-19 on the workplace, as well as enduring trends that have remained unchanged.
Here were seven main takeaways from the second census release.
Four industries make up 40% of the workforce
Australia remains a care-driven workforce. The ABS has found healthcare, retail, construction and education employ the most people in the nation, accounting for more than 40% of the total workforce, with 15% of Australians employed in healthcare and social assistance alone. There were more than 260,000 nurses registered in the 2021 census – a 19% jump since 2016 and exceeding the 13% growth of the broader workforce. At the same time, sales assistants, nurses and general clerks have remained the top three occupations in Australia for the third census running.
Hospitality is the most youthful industry
The old cliche of landing your first job at McDonald’s still rings true. The median age of fast food cooks is 18, the ABS has found, while for cafe workers it’s 21. The accommodation and food industry has the youngest overall workforce of any profession, with 45% of its workers aged under 25. It’s also one of the lowest paid. People employed in the sector earn an average of $1,220 a week, compared with $1,769 across all industries.
Women are driving the education sector
A staggering 98% of early childhood teachers are women. Women also account for 85% of primary school teachers and 62% of secondary school teachers, the ABS has found. Yet despite the dominance of women in the sector, they’re still paid less than men. The average weekly income for women in education and training is $1,802. For men it’s $2,023 – more than $200 higher.
More than half of Australians have a qualification
There has been a 20% increase in people with a vocational or tertiary qualification since 2016, the ABS has found, with more than 11 million people in Australia aged over 15 now holding a qualification. Australians are also upskilling in greater numbers. About 1.1 million have gone on to study after securing a non-school degree. Interestingly, people born overseas are more likely to have a post-tertiary qualification (63%) than those born in Australia (56%). India and Bangladesh top the list, with 82% of the community pursuing post-tertiary education.
Southern Asian languages are on the rise
Australia is becoming an increasingly diverse nation, while our languages are increasingly reflecting our immigration patterns. Qualifications in southern Asian languages have more than doubled since 2016, and are now the third fastest-growing field of study. The trend is in line with the sharp growth of Indian and Nepalese communities in Australia, with Punjabi emerging in the 2021 census as one of the top five languages used at home.
The spirits industry is booming
If you’re getting sick of your nine-to-five grind, consider opening a distillery. The 2021 census suggests many people have done just that. Employment in the spirit manufacturing industry has jumped by 240% since 2016, while beer manufacturing has spiked by 50%. Unfortunately, as some industries boom, others decline. Just 160 people remain employed in video rental hiring services, as Australians ditch Friday nights at Blockbuster for online streaming services.
The home office is the new normal
The five-day office week may be a thing of the past, with Australians now working from home in greater numbers than ever. More than one in five people were set up remotely when the census was filled out last August. Rates are even higher in capital cities, where one in four had home offices, compared with one in eight in the regions.
