8558.0 - Employment Services, Australia, 2001-02  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 05/08/2003   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

MEDIA RELEASE

August 5, 2003
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
79/2003
Over 3 million job placements were made in 2002

A total of 3,738,900 job placements were made by employment agencies and other organisations in the employment and contract staff services sectors during 2001-02, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The number of job placements grew by 37% from 1998-99 to 2001-02. (See Media Note).

The total number of employment placements comprised 424,400 permanent and 3,314,500 temporary/contract placements.

The major occupations that candidates were placed into were: health care and medical (33%), trade and labour related occupations (28%), and clerical (16%). Health and medical occupations accounted for 1,219,000 (or 37%) of all temporary/contract placements, while 151,400 (or 36%) of permanent placements were in trade, labour and related occupations. General management/executive occupations was the only occupation group with more permanent placements (17,100) than temporary placements (10,600).

There were 2,704 employment services organisations operating in Australia at the end of June 2002, a rise of 29% from 1998-99. This total comprised 2,445 for profit and 259 not for profit organisations. Employment services organisations tended to be small employers; 59% had four or fewer persons directly employed, and 20% had direct employment of 5-9 persons.

Employment services organisations generated $10,228m in income and contributed 1.3% to Australian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the period 2001-02. For profit organisations accounted for $9,207m of the total income and not for profits $1,021m. Income grew by 31% over the three years. The operating profit/surplus margin decreased over the three years from 5.6% to 2.9%.

Over 32,000 people were directly employed by employment services organisations at end of June 2002. The majority of staff directly employed were female (65%). A further 290,100 people were contracted or on-hired to client organisations.

Further details can be found in Employment Services, Australia, 2001-02 (cat. no. 8558.0).

Media Note: Organisations whose predominant activity was not employment placement or contract staff services were excluded from these estimates.