1308.8 - In fACT - Statistical Information on the ACT and Region, Aug 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/08/2009   
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Contents >> People >> Labour Force

LABOUR FORCE

Age groups

Occupation

Industry

Usual hours

Average weekly earnings

Underutilisation rate


Age groups

EMPLOYED PERSONS(a), by age

May 2004
May 2008
May 2009
Full time
Part time
Full time
Part time
Full time
Part time
Age group (years)
'000
%
'000
%
'000
%
'000
%
'000
%
'000
%

Australian Capital Territory

15 - 24
18.2
14.0
16.9
35.4
20.8
14.2
16.5
34.6
21.0
14.3
15.2
31.3
25 - 34
34.6
26.7
7.5
15.6
39.8
27.2
6.6
13.9
39.4
26.8
7.8
15.9
35 - 44
31.6
24.4
9.3
19.4
34.2
23.3
9.0
19.0
34.3
23.3
9.1
18.6
45 - 54
31.9
24.6
7.3
15.3
33.5
22.9
7.1
14.9
33.4
22.7
8.5
17.4
55 - 64
12.1
9.4
5.5
11.6
17.0
11.6
6.5
13.6
17.4
11.8
6.4
13.1
65 and over
1.2
0.9
1.3
2.7
1.2
0.8
1.9
4.1
1.6
1.1
1.8
3.6
Total
129.6
100.0
47.9
100.0
146.6
100.0
47.6
100.0
147.3
100.0
48.7
100.0

Australia

15 - 24
930.7
13.6
777.2
28.7
1 060.7
13.9
834.1
27.6
1 021.8
13.3
853.5
27.6
25 - 34
1 754.6
25.7
444.0
16.4
1 871.4
24.5
451.7
14.9
1 900.1
24.7
453.8
14.7
35 - 44
1 730.9
25.3
585.5
21.6
1 847.0
24.2
632.4
20.9
1 846.7
24.0
641.6
20.7
45 - 54
1 607.2
23.5
509.9
18.8
1 798.5
23.6
564.9
18.7
1 819.2
23.6
568.6
18.4
55 - 64
736.7
10.8
305.3
11.3
937.2
12.3
408.6
13.5
986.8
12.8
432.3
14.0
65 and over
70.0
1.0
88.4
3.3
120.2
1.6
131.8
4.4
125.9
1.6
145.1
4.7
Total
6 830.2
100.0
2 710.3
100.0
7 635.0
100.0
3 023.5
100.0
7 700.5
100.0
3 094.9
100.0

(a) Annual averages.
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001).


Employed full time

The average number of Australian Capital Territory (ACT) usual residents employed full time in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 147,300, similar to the previous year (146,600), and up 14% (17,700), from the 12 months ending May 2004 (129,600). The average number of people employed full time in Australia in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 7.7 million, up 1% (65,500) from the year to May 2008 (7.6 million), and up 13% (870,300) from the year to May 2004 (6.8 million).

From the year ending May 2004 to the year ending May 2009 the number of employed persons in the 55-64 year age group in the ACT experienced the strongest growth of all age groups, up 5,300 (44%). Nationally, the 55-64 year age group also experienced the strongest growth in the number of employed persons with an increase of 250,100 (34%).

Employed part time

The average number of ACT usual residents employed part time in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 48,700, up 2% from the previous year (47,600). Nationally, the average number of people employed part time in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 3.1million, up 2% (71,400) from 2008 (3.0m).

The proportion of people employed part time, aged 15-24 years, has consistently been higher than any other age group, in the ACT and nationally. However, the proportion of 15-24 year olds in the ACT has declined from 35% in 2004 to 31% in 2009, while nationally the decline was from 29% in 2004 to 28% in 2009.


Occupation

Employed Persons(a), Australian Capital Territory

May 2004
May 2009
Occupation major group(b)
'000
%
'000
%

Managers
23.5
13.2
30.4
15.6
Professionals
52.3
29.5
58.7
30.1
Technicians and Trades Workers
19.9
11.2
21.3
10.9
Community and Personal Service Workers
16.4
9.2
17.6
9.0
Clerical and Administrative Workers
33.5
18.9
40.0
20.5
Sales Workers
15.5
8.7
12.8
6.5
Machinery Operators And Drivers
5.2
2.9
4.0
2.1
Labourers
10.9
6.2
10.2
5.2
Total
177.2
100.0
195.1
100.0

(a) Annual average of quarterly data.
(b) Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupation (ANZSCO), First Edition, 2006.
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003)


Based on occupation by major group, Professionals made up the largest proportion of employed persons in the ACT for the year ending May 2009 (30%). The group with the largest increase over the five years (2004 to 2009) was Managers, with 6,900 more people employed in the year ending May 2009 than in 2004. The group experiencing the largest decrease was Sales workers, falling 2,700 persons from the year ending May 2004 to the year ending 2009.


Industry

Employed Persons(a), by industry: Australian Capital Territory

May 2004
May 2009
Industry division(b)
'000
%
'000
%

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
0.4
0.2
0.5
0.2
Mining
-
-
-
-
Manufacturing
5.6
3.2
4.4
2.3
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
1.7
0.9
1.3
0.7
Construction
9.7
5.5
12.3
6.3
Wholesale Trade
1.9
1.1
2.5
1.3
Retail Trade
17.0
9.6
16.7
8.5
Accommodation and Food Services
12.2
6.9
11.2
5.7
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
5.4
3.0
4.9
2.5
Information Media and Telecommunications
4.8
2.7
4.7
2.4
Financial and Insurance Services
2.5
1.4
4.3
2.2
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
2.6
1.5
2.3
1.2
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
16.8
9.5
22.5
11.5
Administrative and Support Services
6.6
3.7
4.4
2.3
Public Administration and Safety
48.1
27.1
56.3
28.9
Education and Training
16.2
9.2
16.9
8.6
Health Care and Social Assistance
14.7
8.3
18.3
9.4
Total
177.2
100.0
195.1
100.0

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Annual average of quarterly data.
(b) Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2006 edition.
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003)


Based on employment by industry division, the largest employer in the ACT for the 12 months ending May quarter 2009 was Public Administration and Safety (56,300). This was also the industry with the largest increase in employed persons between year ending May 2004 and year ending May 2009 (8,200 persons).


Usual hours

EMPLOYED PERSONS(a), by usual hours worked

May 2009
Full time
Part time
'000
%
'000
%

Australian Capital Territory

0 hours
-
-
-
-
1-15 hours
0.2
0.2
19.0
39.0
16-29 hours
0.9
0.6
20.0
41.1
30-34 hours
1.1
0.8
9.4
19.3
35-39 hours
55.8
37.9
-
-
40 hours
41.3
28.0
-
-
41-44 hours
8.2
5.5
-
-
45-49 hours
15.6
10.6
-
-
50-59 hours
16.3
11.1
-
-
60 or more hours
7.8
5.3
-
-
Total
147.3
100.0
48.7
100.0

Australia

0 hours
3.3
-
22.0
0.7
1-15 hours
13.1
0.2
1 180.5
38.1
16-29 hours
49.8
0.6
1 347.3
43.5
30-34 hours
70.3
0.9
545.1
17.6
35-39 hours
2 326.0
30.2
-
-
40 hours
2 314.7
30.1
-
-
41-44 hours
326.0
4.2
-
-
45-49 hours
806.0
10.5
-
-
50-59 hours
1 036.3
13.5
-
-
60 or more hours
755.0
9.8
-
-
Total
7 700.5
100.0
3 094.9
100.0

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Annual average monthly data.
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001).


Usual hours worked by employed persons, on average, during the 12 months ending May 2009 differed between the ACT and Australia. A smaller proportion of full-time workers in the ACT worked 41 hours or more per week (33%) compared with Australia (38%). However, a larger proportion of ACT full-time employed (66%) worked between 35-40 hours than the national average (60%). In the 12 months ending May 2009 the most common hours usually worked by people employed part time in the ACT and Australia were 16-29 hours per week (ACT 41%, Australia 44%).


Average weekly earnings

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS: Trend

February 2008
February 2009

Australian Capital Territory

Earnings $
1 055.0
1 138.4
Percentage change from previous quarter %
1.1
1.9
Percentage change from corresponding quarter of previous year %
2.8
7.9

Australia

Earnings $
881.7
918.5
Percentage change from previous quarter %
0.7
0.9
Percentage change from corresponding quarter of previous year %
3.6
4.2

Source: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (cat. no. 6302.0).


In trend terms, Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) of $1,138 for the ACT in February 2009 were $220 higher than the national average of $919. AWE increased 7.9% between February 2008 and February 2009 for the ACT (from $1,055 to $1,138) and 4.2% for Australia (from $882 to $919).


Underutilisation rate
LABOUR FORCE UNDERUTILISATION RATE(a)(b): Trend
Graph: LABOUR FORCE UNDERUTILISATION RATE(a)(b): Trend


In trend terms, the labour force underutilisation rate for Australia has increased each quarter from May quarter 2008 (10%) to May quarter 2009 (13%).

Over the same period, the labour force underutilisation rate for ACT has increased by only 0.4 percentage points (7.4% in May quarter 2008 to 7.8% in May quarter 2009).




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