4156.0 - Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview, Australia, 2008 (Edition 1)  
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Contents >> Chapter 7 - Employment and voluntary work >> Chapter 7.2 - Census of Population and Housing

CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING

The census offers a unique opportunity to obtain a wide range of data about sports and physical recreation employment. However, the employment figures obtained from the census for work in sports and physical recreation do not include second jobs, unpaid work, or persons usually working in a sports and physical recreation occupation but 'between jobs' during the week before Census night. Also, because some types of sports and physical recreation work (e.g. football umpiring) are seasonal in nature, some persons employed in sports and physical recreation occupations will not have been recorded as such during the census period.



Employment in sports and physical recreation occupations

Of all persons employed in the week prior to the 2001 Census, 83,008 (1.0%) had their main job in a sports and physical recreation occupation. For the 1996 Census the corresponding figure was 68,289 persons which was 0.9% of total employment. The increase in employment for sports and physical recreation occupations between 1996 and 2001 was 21.6%. In comparison, the increase for all occupations over the same period was 8.7%.


The sports and physical recreation occupations recording the largest numbers of persons employed in 2001 were Fitness instructors (12,364), Greenkeepers (11,928), Veterinarians (5,007), Veterinary nurses (4,858) and Recreation officers (3,842).


The majority of sports and physical recreation occupation groups showed some increase in employment between the 1996 and 2001 Censuses, with nineteen of them increasing by more than 20%. The largest increases, in percentage terms, were for Outdoor adventure leaders (560.2% from 83 persons to 548 persons), Sail makers (84.3% from 235 to 433) and Fitness instructors (61.2% from 7,669 to 12,364). Fitness instructors also showed the largest growth in terms of the number of persons employed, with an increase of 4,695 persons during the period.


In comparison, there were seven sports and physical recreation occupation groups that experienced a decline in numbers between 1996 and 2001. In percentage terms, the largest falls occurred for Other sports centre managers (23.9% from 3,677 persons to 2,800 persons), Sports administrators (10.9% from 1,216 to 1,083) and Sports development officers (9.7% from 745 to 673).


In August 2001, there were more males (50,113 or 60.4%) than females (32,895 or 39.6%) employed in sports and physical recreation occupations. In comparison, of all employed persons in August 2001, 54.8% were male and 45.2% were female.


Persons employed in sports and physical recreation occupations showed a younger age profile relative to all employed persons. The 20-24 year age group had the largest number of persons employed in sports and physical recreation occupations ( 13,478 or 16.2%). There were considerably more younger workers employed in occupations such as Footballers, Sports umpires, Gymnastics coaches and Ticket collectors and ushers. By contrast, over forty percent of those employed as Horse or dog racing officials, or as Horse breeders, were aged 50 years or over.

7.1 EMPLOYMENT IN SPORTS AND PHYSICAL RECREATION OCCUPATIONS, By sex - 1996 and 2001 Censuses

1996 CENSUS
2001 CENSUS
Occupation
Males
Females
Persons
Males
Females
Persons

Environment, parks and land care manager
1 889
447
2 336
1 823
509
2 332
Sports administrator
728
488
1 216
652
431
1 083
Horse breeder
653
476
1 129
688
541
1 229
Park ranger
1 438
257
1 695
1 255
351
1 606
Natural and physical science professionals n.e.c.
61
15
76
62
33
95
Veterinarian
2 779
1 467
4 246
2 975
2 032
5 007
Recreation officer
885
1 868
2 753
1 035
2 807
3 842
Sport and recreation managers n.f.d.
15
12
27
90
52
142
Fitness centre manager
486
417
903
626
537
1 163
Other sports centre manager
2 190
1 487
3 677
1 741
1 059
2 800
Sport and recreation managers n.e.c.
172
28
200
251
153
404
Sportspersons, coaches and related support workers n.f.d.
259
127
386
519
278
797
Jockey
705
169
874
813
311
1 124
Golfer
1 011
32
1 043
1 084
38
1 122
Footballer
986
5
991
1 377
8
1 385
Other sportsperson
1 441
450
1 891
1 965
826
2 791
Gymnastics coach
239
1 012
1 251
281
1 151
1 432
Tennis coach
1 044
312
1 356
1 419
358
1 777
Swimming coach
400
532
932
506
381
887
Horseriding coach
91
405
496
107
458
565
Other sports coach
1 727
800
2 527
1 991
887
2 878
Sports development officer
460
285
745
432
241
673
Sports umpire
1 403
558
1 961
1 840
698
2 538
Horse or dog racing official
351
32
383
365
45
410
Other sports official
60
19
79
89
35
124
Gunsmith
137
9
146
146
3
149
Farrier(a)
625
20
645
768
46
814
Animal trainer(b)
2 265
724
2 989
2 251
875
3 126
Greenkeeper(c)
11 609
300
11 909
11 637
291
11 928
Canvas good maker
282
286
568
354
257
611
Sail maker
214
21
235
398
35
433
Apprentice leather goods, canvas goods or sail maker
57
11
68
62
3
65
Boat builder and repairer(d)
2 166
47
2 213
3 153
60
3 213
Veterinary nurse
80
3 159
3 239
121
4 737
4 858
Fitness instructor(e)
2 234
5 435
7 669
3 685
8 679
12 364
Outdoor adventure leader
54
29
83
350
198
548
Ticket collector or usher
1 550
1 275
2 825
1 576
1 624
3 200
Stud hand or stable hand
1 171
1 356
2 527
1 626
1 867
3 493
Total sports and physical recreation occupations
43 917
24 372
68 289
50 113
32 895
83 008
Total employment
4 272 051
3 364 266
7 636 317
4 546 783
3 751 823
8 298 606

(a) Comprises Farrier and Apprentice farrier.
(b) Comprises Animal trainers n.f.d., Horse trainer and Animal trainers n.e.c..
(c) Comprises Greenkeepers n.f.d., Greenkeeper and Apprentice greenkeeper.
(d) Comprises Boat builder and repairer and Apprentice boat builder and repairer.
(e) Comprises Fitness instructors and related workers n.f.d. and Fitness instructor.
Source: Employment in Sport and Recreation, Australia, August 2001 (cat. no. 4148.0).



Earnings and hours worked in sports and physical recreation occupations

The Census found that, compared to persons employed in all occupations, persons employed in sports and physical recreation occupations (as their main job) were more likely to be working part-time (i.e. less than 35 hours per week). Almost two thirds (64.6%) of persons employed in all occupations worked full-time (i.e. 35 hours and over). By comparison, only 52.0% of persons employed in sports and physical recreation occupations worked full-time. Relatively large percentages of persons employed as Sports umpires (88.8%), Gymnastics coaches (84.9%), Ticket collectors or ushers (78.9%) and Fitness instructors (74.8%) worked part-time.

7.2 WEEKLY HOURS WORKED PROFILE OF OCCUPATIONS - August 2001
Graph: 7.2 Weekly Hours Worked Profile of Occupations—August 2001



Persons employed in sports and physical recreation occupations as their main job received, on average, a lower income than persons employed in all occupations. The median weekly income for sports and physical recreation occupations was $453, compared with $587 for all occupations. This lower income may be related to the higher incidence of part-time employment in sports and physical recreation occupations.


Over two fifths (43.5%) of all persons employed in sports and physical recreation occupations received a gross weekly income between $300 and $700.

7.3 WEEKLY INCOME PROFILE OF OCCUPATIONS - August 2001
Graph: 7.3 Weekly Income Profile of Occupations—August 2001



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