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AustraliaCommunity profile

Western Australia

Industry sector of employment

More Western Australia male residents worked in construction than any other industry in 2021.

Western Australia's industry statistics identify the industry sectors in which the residents work (which may be within the residing area or elsewhere). This will be influenced by the skill base and socio-economic status of the residents as well as the industries and employment opportunities present in the region.

When viewed in conjunction with Residents Place of Work data and Method of Travel to Work, industry sector statistics provide insights into the relationship between the economic and residential role of the area.

Q:

Derived from the two Census questions:

'What best describes the business of your employer?' and 'What are the main goods produced or main services provided by your employers business?'

Industry sector of employment
Western Australia - Employed males (Usual residence)20212016Change
Industry sectorNumber%Greater Capital Cities %Number%Greater Capital Cities %2016 to 2021
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing20,0292.90.819,7393.20.8+290
Mining77,27611.31.959,2279.61.6+18,049
Manufacturing50,0297.38.147,9517.78.8+2,078
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services10,9721.61.59,9421.61.4+1,030
Construction96,83814.214.296,95015.613.9-112
Wholesale trade22,1833.33.620,1813.34.0+2,002
Retail Trade46,9756.98.044,6537.28.2+2,322
Accommodation and Food Services37,2405.55.633,0505.36.0+4,190
Transport, Postal and Warehousing44,9766.67.240,2216.57.2+4,755
Information Media and Telecommunications6,1700.92.07,0101.12.4-840
Financial and Insurance Services12,5181.84.612,0621.94.3+456
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services8,5981.31.69,2271.51.7-629
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services50,7397.410.041,9526.89.2+8,787
Administrative and Support Services18,8352.83.117,9172.93.3+918
Public Administration and Safety40,6756.06.138,1436.26.1+2,532
Education and Training28,4794.24.826,4644.34.8+2,015
Health Care and Social Assistance35,7585.26.427,0374.45.3+8,721
Arts and Recreation Services10,0791.51.69,1601.51.8+919
Other Services25,3893.73.524,4673.93.7+922
Inadequately described or not stated37,7695.55.434,2385.55.6+3,531
Total employed persons aged 15+681,527100.0100.0619,591100.0100.0+61,936
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

An analysis of the jobs held by the male resident population in Western Australia in 2021 shows the three most popular industry sectors were:

  • Construction (96,838 males or 14.2%)
  • Mining (77,276 males or 11.3%)
  • Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (50,739 males or 7.4%)

In combination, these three industries employed 224,853 males in total or 33.0% of the total employed male resident population.

In comparison, Greater Capital Cities employed 14.2% in Construction; 1.9% in Mining; and 10.0% in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.

The major differences between the jobs held by the male population of Western Australia and Greater Capital Cities were:

  • A larger percentage of males employed in mining (11.3% compared to 1.9%)
  • A larger percentage of males employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing (2.9% compared to 0.8%)
  • A smaller percentage of males employed in financial and insurance services (1.8% compared to 4.6%)
  • A smaller percentage of males employed in professional, scientific and technical services (7.4% compared to 10.0%)

Emerging groups

The number of employed males in Western Australia increased by 61,936 between 2016 and 2021.

The largest changes in the jobs held by the male resident population between 2016 and 2021 in Western Australia were for those employed in:

  • Mining (+18,049 males)
  • Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+8,787 males)
  • Health Care and Social Assistance (+8,721 males)
  • Transport, Postal and Warehousing (+4,755 males)

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