4156.0 - Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview, Australia, 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/12/2012  Final
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Contents >> Employment >> Census of Population and Housing

CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING

The Census collects detailed information about people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations and industries. However, the employment information relates to the main job in the week before Census and does not include second jobs, unpaid work, or people usually working in a sports and physical recreation occupation but 'between jobs' during the week before Census night. Some people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations will not have been recorded as such during the Census period because some types of sport and physical recreation work are seasonal in nature (e.g. cricket umpiring).


Employment in sport and physical recreation occupations

Of all people employed in the week prior to the 2011 Census, 1% had their main job in a sport and physical recreation occupation, the same proportion as in the 2006 Census. While the increase in employment in sport and physical recreation occupations between 2006 and 2011 was 21%, compared with an 11% increase for all occupations over the same period, in absolute terms this represented an increase from 79,156 persons in 2006 to 95,590 persons in 2011.

The sport and physical recreation occupations recording the largest numbers of people employed in 2011 were fitness instructors (21,514), greenkeepers (11,346), swimming coach or instructors (10,279), other sports coach or instructors (4,985) and stablehands (4,321).

There were only a few sport and physical recreation occupation groups that experienced a decline in numbers between 2006 and 2011. In percentage terms, the number of boat builders and repairers fell 33% and canvas goods fabricators fell 22%.

Of the 95,590 people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations, there were more men (58%) than women (42%). In comparison, of all employed people, 53% were male and 47% were female. Of people employed as footballers and boat builders and repairers, 98% were male. In contrast, the majority of horse riding and gymnastic coachers or instructors (85% and 81% respectively) were female.

People employed in sport and physical recreation occupations had a younger age profile relative to all employed people. The 20-24 year age group had the largest number of people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations (18%). There were also considerably more younger workers (aged 15-24 years) employed in occupations such as sports umpires (92%), lifeguards (73%) and footballers (67%). By contrast, almost half (49%) of those employed as horse breeders were aged 50 years or over.

8.1 Employment in sport and physical recreation occupations(a), By sex - 2006 and 2011

2006 CENSUS
2011 CENSUS
Occupations
Males
Females
Persons
Males
Females
Persons

Boat Builder and Repairer
3 934
63
3 997
2 646
44
2 690
Bungy Jump Master
10
-
10
3
-
3
Canvas Goods Fabricator
419
316
735
320
251
571
Diving Instructor (Open Water)
394
148
542
401
165
566
Dog Handler or Trainer
326
249
575
430
409
839
Dog or Horse Racing Official
459
81
540
426
106
532
Fishing Guide
93
3
96
99
9
108
Fitness Centre Manager
749
914
1 663
1 174
1 344
2 518
Fitness Instructor
5 076
8 724
13 800
8 778
12 736
21 514
Footballer
1 440
13
1 453
1 584
25
1 609
Golfer
1 162
55
1 217
1 032
58
1 090
Greenkeeper
11 815
321
12 136
11 027
319
11 346
Gunsmith
172
6
178
199
4
203
Gymnastics Coach or Instructor
410
1 634
2 044
487
2 020
2 507
Horse Breeder
766
651
1 417
748
646
1 394
Horse Riding Coach or Instructor
77
528
605
105
592
697
Horse Trainer
1 967
797
2 764
2 072
1 034
3 106
Hunting Guide
-
-
-
4
-
4
Jockey
501
148
649
424
162
586
Lifeguard
1 687
907
2 594
2 271
1 271
3 542
Mountain or Glacier Guide
14
5
19
12
4
16
Other Sports Coach or Instructor
2 529
932
3 461
3 508
1 477
4 985
Other Sports Official
95
23
118
116
31
147
Outdoor Adventure Guides, nec(b)
149
61
210
225
121
346
Outdoor Adventure Instructor
519
313
832
847
536
1 383
Recreation Officer
773
1 288
2 061
741
1 098
1 839
Sail Maker
428
43
471
364
34
398
Snowsport Instructor
392
186
578
351
201
552
Sports Administrator
1 185
721
1 906
1 417
849
2 266
Sports and Personal Service Workers, nfd(c)
1 613
2 267
3 880
1 228
952
2 180
Sports Centre Manager
2 071
1 336
3 407
2 094
1 487
3 581
Sports Development Officer
559
339
898
719
354
1 073
Sports Umpire
1 804
579
2 383
2 490
803
3 293
Sportspersons, nec(d)
710
133
843
880
151
1 031
Stablehand
760
544
1 304
1 702
2 619
4 321
Swimming Coach or Instructor
1 607
5 977
7 584
2 434
7 845
10 279
Tennis Coach
1 677
468
2 145
1 946
479
2 425
Trekking Guide
6
4
10
16
8
24
Whitewater Rafting Guide
28
3
31
26
-
26
Total sport and physical recreation occupations(e)
48 376
30 780
79 156
55 346
40 244
95 590
Total employment
4 911 132
4 193 055
9 104 187
5 366 665
4 691 660
10 058 325

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) ANZSCO was used for the collection of ABS occupation data.
(b) Includes Outdoor adventure guides nec and Outdoor adventure guides nfd.
(c) Includes Sports and personal services workers nfd, Sports and fitness workers nfd and Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials nfd.
(d) Includes Sportspersons nec and Sportspersons nfd.
(e) Small cells or census data are randomly adjusted to protect confidentiality. There may be minor discrepancies between column and row total in tables containing similar data.
Source: Employment in Sport and Recreation, Australia, August 2011 (cat. no. 4148.0).



Earnings and hours worked

The 2011 Census found that, compared with people employed in all occupations, people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations were more likely to be working part-time (i.e. less than 35 hours per week). Nearly two thirds (63%) of people employed in all occupations worked full-time (i.e. 35 hours and over). In comparison, only 43% of people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations worked full-time. Relatively large percentages of people employed as sports umpires (91%), swimming (86%) and gymnastics coaches (83%) worked part-time.

8.2 Weekly hours worked profile of occupations(a) - August 2011
Graph: 8.2 Weekly hours worked profile of occupations(a)—August 2011


There was a higher percentage of people employed in all occupations (42%) with a weekly income of $1,000 or more compared with people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations (20%). This difference was also seen in 2006 with 12% of people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations earning $1,000 or more compared with 30% of all employed people. This lower income may be related to the higher incidence of part-time employment in sport and physical recreation occupations. Almost half (49%) of all people employed in sport and physical recreation occupations received a gross weekly income between $200 and $799.

8.3 Weekly income profile of occupations(a) - August 2011
Graph: 8.3 Weekly income profile of occupations(a)—August 2011








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