2016 Census: Western Australia

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MEDIA RELEASE
23 October 2017
138/2017

Arts and Recreational Services WA's fastest growing employer


Western Australians are increasingly working in fields such as sports and performing arts making it the state’s fastest growing industry by employment, according to latest insights from the 2016 Census of Population and Housing.

The Health Care and Social Assistance industry, covering areas such as aged and child care and the health sector, continued to be the largest employing industry for WA recorded in the Census, growing 19 per cent since 2011. It was also the largest industry nationwide by workforce size.

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 Western Australians,” Ms Kindermann said.

“One of the stand-out trends was the increase of 25 per cent in the number of people who recorded that they were employed in the Arts and Recreational Services industry – including Fitness Centres, Sport and Performing Arts.

“The data also shows that of all the Australian capital cities, Perth had the second highest proportion of people who travelled to work by car at 79 per cent, second to Adelaide with 80 per cent.

“Perth also had the lowest proportion of people who rode or walked to work, at less than 4 per cent.”

The top three industries by workforce size in the Census remained the same as in 2011, with Construction second, behind the Health Care and Social Assistance Industry and Retail Trade third.

Education and Training grew by 15 per cent to move up from fifth to fourth largest employing industry in the state while Accommodation and Food Services industry grew by 15 per cent to enter the top five, mirroring a nationwide trend. The Mining industry continued to show growth between 2011 and 2016 showing a 7 per cent increase.

Among the 2.5 million from Western Australia who took part in the Census were 41,000 who lived overseas one year prior to Census, and 176,000 who lived overseas in 2011.

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 Western Australia in the 2016 Census, follow the link to the Western Australia QuickStats page.

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


WESTERN AUSTRALIA


Labour force
2016
2011

Labour force population
1,255,706
1,152,190

Employed persons1
1,157,736
1,097,875
Full time
715,287
699,412
Part time
376,590
324,256

Not in labour force (15 years and over)
595,448
529,554
18-64 year olds
276,929
263,279

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
135,898
Health Care and Social Assistance
113,776
2.
Construction
113,461
Construction
111,847
3.
Retail Trade
110,409
Retail Trade
110,721
4.
Education and Training
100,951
Manufacturing
90,394
5.
Accommodation and Food Services
74,620
Education and Training
88,079

Top 3 industries
(growth rate, 2011 to 2016)
1.
Arts and Recreation Services 24.8%
2.
Health Care and Social Assistance 19.4%
3.
Accommodation and Food Services 15.2%



Occupations
2016
2011

Top 3 occupations
(total employed persons)
1.
Professionals
237,230
Professionals
218,355
2.
Technicians and Trades Workers
187,396
Technicians and Trades Workers
183,301
3.
Clerical and Administrative Workers
150,408
Clerical and Administrative Workers
158,179

Top 3 occupations
(growth rate, 2011 to 2016)
1.
Community and Personal Service Workers 18.9%
2.
Professionals 8.6%
3.
Sales Workers 8.2%



Method of Travel to Work
2016
2011

Car (as driver or passenger)
789,200
726,436

Top 3 other methods
1.
Bus 44,742
Bus 40,762
2.
Walked only 31,914
Walked only 35,995
3.
Train 25,863
Train 24,268

* Single method of travel only


Education
2016
2011

Top 3 fields of study
(total population)
1.
Engineering and Related Technologies
220,963
Engineering and Related Technologies
189,628
2.
Management and Commerce
204,777
Management and Commerce
163,807
3.
Society and Culture
118,437
Society and Culture
91,833

Top 3 fields of study
(18-30 year olds)
1.
Management and Commerce
44,227
Management and Commerce
42,061
2.
Engineering and Related Technologies
43,612
Engineering and Related Technologies
38,028
3.
Society and Culture
27,275
Society and Culture
22,851

Top 3 fields of study
(growth rate, 2011 to 2016)
1.
Society and Culture 29.0%
2.
Health 28.2%
3.
Management and Commerce 25.0%

* Excludes Mixed Field Programmes


Migration
1 year ago
5 years ago

Current residents who lived interstate
22,795
78,318
Current residents who lived overseas
40,940
175,956

Notes
* All data based on Place of Usual Residence