2016 Census: South Australia

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MEDIA RELEASE
23 October 2017
137/2017

Census reveals growing employment in Health Care industry in SA


South Australians working in health care, child care and aged care are part of the state’s largest industry by workforce, according to latest insights from the 2016 Census of Population and Housing.

Census Program Manager Bindi Kindermann said the latest Census data contained information on a state-wide scale as well as for local communities.

“From how people get to work, to what they are studying, what their jobs are and where people are moving to, this Census information tells us so much about the lives of people in South Australia,” Ms Kindermann said.

“So not only did the Census record that Health Care and Social Assistance – which covers areas such as hospitals, aged care and child care – was the biggest industry in the state in terms of workers, as it was in Australia, it was also the only one of the top three from 2011 to increase in size.

“Retail Trade remained the second largest industry, however, but the number of workers recorded in the Census fell in 2016, while Manufacturing was overtaken by Education and Training as the third largest industry.”

The Census data also showed that the number of people travelling to work by car in the state increased by 3 per cent from 2011 to 2016, to 526,000. Of the Australian capital cities, Adelaide had the highest proportion of people who drove to work, 80 per cent.

The numbers of people riding the bus to work and walking both fell, by 2 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.

In terms of occupations, the Census recorded that Technicians and Trade Workers overtook Clerical and Administrative Workers to become the second largest category in the state. Both categories had fewer workers compared to 2011, down by 4 per cent and 6 per cent respectively.

The largest occupation category in South Australia, as was the case nationwide, was Professionals which included areas such as the arts and media, business, design and engineering, science and transport, went up 4 per cent from 2011. Community and Personal Service Workers was the fastest growing occupation category in the state, growing 15 per cent since 2011.

The Census recorded little change in what South Australians are studying with Management and Commerce, Engineering and Related Technologies and Society and Culture still the most common areas of qualification. Outside the top three, the fast growing occupations were in Health, up 19 per cent compared to five years ago.

Census data is available free online. Use one of our easy tools such as QuickStats or Community Profiles to access the latest data for your area or topic of interest.

For more information on South Australia in the 2016 Census, follow the link to the South Australia QuickStats page.

Information on Adelaide can be found via the following link to the Adelaide QuickStats page.


SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Labour force
2016
2011

Labour force population
806,589
784,324

Employed persons1
746,101
739,356
Full time
435,110
445,075
Part time
270,409
247,599

Not in labour force (15 years and over)
501,988
466,428
18-64 year olds
215,864
214,759

1 – Includes “Employed, away from work”
Note: The Census and Labour Force Survey both collect labour market information however are designed for different purposes and utilise different collection methods.
Differences in the collections mean they are not directly comparable to each other, they are complementary data.


Industry
2016
2011

Top 5 industries

(total employed persons)

1.
Health Care and Social Assistance
110,479
Health Care and Social Assistance
100,602
2.
Retail Trade
79,742
Retail Trade
83,070
3.
Education and Training
64,506
Manufacturing
77,890
4.
Manufacturing
59,579
Education and Training
58,637
5.
Construction
56,635
Construction
55,599

Top 3 industries
(growth rate, 2011 to 2016)
1.
Education and Training 10.0%
2.
Health Care and Social Assistance 9.8%
3.
Arts and Recreation Services 9.1%



Occupations
2016
2011

Top 3 occupations
(total employed persons)
1.
Professionals
151,091
Professionals
145,127
2.
Technicians and Trades Workers
100,142
Clerical and Administrative Workers
106,216
3.
Clerical and Administrative Workers
99,540
Technicians and Trades Workers
104,588

Top 3 occupations
(growth rate, 2011 to 2016)
1.
Community and Personal Service Workers 15.3%
2.
Professionals 4.1%
3.
Sales Workers 1.2%



Method of Travel to Work
2016
2011

Car (as driver or passenger)
526,359
510,527

Top 3 other methods
1.
Bus 29,592
Bus 30,217
2.
Walked only 20,697
Walked only 23,621
3.
Train 9,046
Bicycle 7,502

* Single method of travel only



Education

2016
2011

Top 3 fields of study
(total population)
1.
Management and Commerce
131,983
Engineering and Related Technologies
114,301
2.
Engineering and Related Technologies
123,055
Management and Commerce
110,386
3.
Society and Culture
94,965
Society and Culture
74,784

Top 3 fields of study
(18-30 year olds)
1.
Management and Commerce
26,728
Management and Commerce
27,568
2.
Society and Culture
20,121
Engineering and Related Technologies
18,408
3.
Engineering and Related Technologies
19,539
Society and Culture
17,284

Top 3 fields of study
(growth rate, 2011 to 2016)
1.
Society and Culture 27.0%
2.
Management and Commerce 19.6%
3.
Health 19.4%

* Excludes Mixed Field Programmes


Migration
1 year ago
5 years ago

Current residents who lived interstate
17,946
51,228
Current residents who lived overseas
21,779
75,383

Notes
* All data based on Place of Usual Residence