8167.0 - Selected Characteristics of Australian Business, 2013-14 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/08/2015   
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SKILLS

Skills used in undertaking core business activities

All businesses were asked to indicate the types of skills used in undertaking core business activities during the year ended 30 June 2014. The list of skills was limited to those shown in the table; businesses were not required to list any other skills which they may have used. Businesses were able to identify more than one type of skill and were not required to rank the skills.


Skills used in undertaking core business activities, by employment size(a)(b)(c), 2013-14
0-4 persons
5-19 persons
20-199 persons
200 or more persons
Total
%
%
%
%
%
Type of skill used:
Engineering
12.8
11.7
16.4
34.6
12.9
Scientific and research
4.8
4.5
5.1
19.0
4.8
IT professionals
14.2
16.5
27.8
58.0
16.2
IT support technicians
16.9
27.9
39.7
64.2
22.3
Trades
24.6
30.4
32.9
39.2
27.1
Transport, plant and machinery operation
14.8
18.4
22.8
32.8
16.6
Marketing
19.3
26.5
32.4
57.2
22.8
Project management
11.5
14.1
22.5
51.0
13.4
Business management
18.6
24.8
36.2
61.5
22.1
Financial
22.2
31.0
44.8
68.6
26.9
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output category.
(b) Businesses could identify more than one type of skill used.
(c) Only the skills listed were required to be reported on.


Overall, trades and financial skills were the most commonly used by businesses in undertaking core business activities (both 27%). The least common type of skill used in undertaking core business activities was scientific and research (5%).

Financial skills were most likely to be used to undertake core business activities for those businesses with 5-19 persons employed (31%), 20-199 persons employed (45%) and 200 or more persons employed (69%). Businesses with 0-4 persons employed were most likely to use trades skills (25%).

The types of skills used varied by industry depending on the nature of the work undertaken. Businesses in the Mining industry were more likely to use engineering (41%), scientific and research (24%) and project management (35%), than any other industry. Skills associated with IT professionals and IT support technicians were most commonly used by businesses in the Information, media and telecommunications industry (both 38%).

Further statistics relating to skills used in undertaking core business activities can be accessed via the Downloads tab.


Skills shortage or deficiency in undertaking core business activities

All businesses were asked if there was a shortage or deficiency in types of skills needed to undertake core business activities during the year ended 30 June 2014. Businesses were asked for all skill shortages or deficiencies irrespective of whether they had been able to address the shortage or deficiency. The list of skills was limited to those shown in the table; businesses were not required to list any other skills for which there may have been a shortage or deficiency. Businesses were able to identify more than one type of skill and were not required to rank the skills.


Skills shortage or deficiency in undertaking core business activities, by employment size(a)(b)(c), 2013-14
0-4 persons
5-19 persons
20-199 persons
200 or more persons
Total
%
%
%
%
%
Types of skill shortage or deficiency
Engineering
1.5
1.8
3.1
6.5
1.8
Scientific and research
0.5
1.8
2.0
1.4
1.0
IT professionals
2.8
3.9
6.4
7.0
3.4
IT support technicians
3.8
5.1
6.1
6.1
4.4
Trades
7.2
9.9
11.0
12.5
8.3
Transport, plant and machinery operation
1.8
2.1
3.2
3.4
2.0
Marketing
5.2
7.6
6.9
2.5
6.0
Project management
1.7
3.4
5.2
5.6
2.5
Business management
2.7
5.7
3.6
3.8
3.7
Financial
5.3
5.8
5.3
3.3
5.4
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output category.
(b) Businesses could identify more than one type of deficiency.
(c) Only the skills listed were required to be reported on.


The most common type of skill shortage or deficiency in undertaking core business activities was trades (8%). Businesses with 200 or more persons employed were the most likely to have a shortage of these skills (12%).

Businesses in the Construction industry were the most likely to have a shortage or deficiency in trades (22%), while businesses in Information media and telecommunications were more likely to have a skills shortage or deficiency in IT professionals (10%) and IT support technicians (8%).

Further statistics relating to skills shortage or deficiency in undertaking core business activities can be accessed via the Downloads tab.