Shellharbour City CouncilCommunity profile
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Shellharbour City

Employment status

29,606 people living in Shellharbour City in 2016 were employed, of which 60% worked full-time and 35% part-time.

Shellharbour City's employment statistics are an important indicator of socio-economic status. The levels of full or part-time employment, unemployment and labour force participation indicate the strength of the local economy and social characteristics of the population. Employment status is linked to a number of factors including Age Structure, which influences the number of people in the workforce; the economic base and employment opportunities available in the area and; the education and skill base of the population (Occupations, Industries, Qualifications).

The two most important measures are:

  • Unemployment rate - the number of people looking for work, as a percentage of the labour force (employed and unemployed over 15)
  • Participation rate - the labour force expressed as a percentage of the total population over 15

Please note that in the 2021 Census, due to the COVID pandemic and lockdowns in many areas, the proportion of people who were employed but away from work in the week before Census has increased. We have no information on whether these people were normally employed full or part time so this is shown separately.

Derived from the Census question:

'Last week did the person have a full time or part time job of any kind?'

Persons aged 15 years and over

Labour force status
Shellharbour City - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)20162011Change
Labour force statusNumber%Regional NSW %Number%Regional NSW %2011 to 2016
map this data in atlas.idTotal labour force (Participation rate)31,80258.054.829,39658.756.4+2,406
Not in the labour force
19,97836.437.918,68337.338.5+1,295
Labour force status not stated
3,0685.67.31,9653.95.2+1,103

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Employment status
Shellharbour City - Persons in the labour force (Usual residence)20162011Change
Employment statusNumber%Regional NSW %Number%Regional NSW %2011 to 2016
Employed
29,60693.193.427,41193.293.9+2,195
Employed full-time
17,65555.555.216,77257.156.7+883
Employed part-time
10,33132.532.88,73529.731.0+1,596
Employed, away from work
1,6205.15.41,9046.56.2-284
map this data in atlas.idUnemployed (Unemployment rate)2,1966.96.61,9856.86.1+211
Looking for full-time work
1,2313.93.91,2374.23.8-6
Looking for part-time work
9653.02.77482.52.4+217

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Employment status, 2016
Employment status, 2016 Employed, Regional NSW: 93.4% Employed full-time, Regional NSW: 55.2% Employed part-time, Regional NSW: 32.8% Employed, away from work, Regional NSW: 5.4% Unemployed (Unemployment rate), Regional NSW: 6.6% Looking for full-time work, Regional NSW: 3.9% Looking for part-time work, Regional NSW: 2.7% Employed, Shellharbour City: 93.1% Employed full-time, Shellharbour City: 55.5% Employed part-time, Shellharbour City: 32.5% Employed, away from work, Shellharbour City: 5.1% Unemployed (Unemployment rate), Shellharbour City: 6.9% Looking for full-time work, Shellharbour City: 3.9% Looking for part-time work, Shellharbour City: 3.0%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2016 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Change in employment status, 2011 to 2016
Change in employment status, 2011 to 2016 Employed, Shellharbour City: +2,195 Employed full-time, Shellharbour City: +883 Employed part-time, Shellharbour City: +1,596 Employed, away from work, Shellharbour City: -284 Unemployed (Unemployment rate), Shellharbour City: +211 Looking for full-time work, Shellharbour City: -6 Looking for part-time work, Shellharbour City: +217
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 and 2016 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).

Dominant groups

The size of Shellharbour City's labour force in 2016 was 31,802, of which 10,331 were employed part-time and 17,655 were full time workers.

Analysis of the employment status (as a percentage of the labour force) in Shellharbour City in 2016 compared to Regional NSW shows that there was a similar proportion in employment, as well as a similar proportion unemployed. Overall, 93.1% of the labour force was employed, and 6.9% unemployed, compared with 93.4% and 6.6% respectively for Regional NSW.

Analysis of the labour force participation rate of the population in Shellharbour City in 2016 shows that there was a higher proportion in the labour force (58.0%) compared with Regional NSW (54.8%).

Emerging groups

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of people employed in Shellharbour City showed an increase of 2,195, and the number unemployed showed an increase of 211. In the same period, the number of people in the labour force showed an increase of 2,406 or 8.2%.

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