8167.0 - Selected Characteristics of Australian Business, 2012-13 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 18/09/2014   
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SKILLS


SKILLS USED IN UNDERTAKING CORE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

These data provide information on the types of skills used in undertaking core business activities during the year ended 30 June 2013. Overall, trades skills were the most commonly used by businesses in undertaking core business activities (27%), followed by financial (26%).

Skills used in undertaking core business activities, by employment size(a)(b)(c), 2012-13
0-4 persons
5-19 persons
20-199 persons
200 or more persons
Total
%
%
%
%
%
Type of skill used:
Engineering
11.5
12.4
15.9
32.3
12.2
Scientific and research
5.9
4.9
5.6
15.7
5.6
IT professionals
14.1
18.5
29.2
61.2
16.9
IT support technicians
12.7
25.6
33.4
62.2
18.6
Trades
26.0
27.0
30.6
36.2
26.7
Transport, plant and machinery operation
13.3
17.2
24.4
40.0
15.5
Marketing
17.3
26.7
31.8
58.4
21.5
Project management
11.3
12.4
20.3
50.7
12.5
Business management
16.4
25.9
34.8
63.6
21.0
Financial
21.1
30.1
42.9
71.2
25.8
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output category.
(b) Businesses could identify more than one type of skill used.
(c) Only the skills listed were required to be reported on.


Financial skills were most likely to be used to undertake core business for those businesses with 5-19 persons employed (30%), 20-199 persons employed (43%) and 200 or more persons employed (71%). Businesses with 0-4 persons employed were most likely to use trades skills (26%). Across all businesses, the least common type of skill used in undertaking core business activities was scientific and research (6%).

The types of skills used varied by industry depending on the nature of the work undertaken. Business management, project management, scientific and research and engineering were the skills most likely to be used by the Mining industry (38%, 38%, 26% and 40% respectively). Skills associated with IT support technicians were most commonly used by businesses in the Information media and telecommunications industry (31%).

Further data relating to skills used in undertaking core business activities can be accessed via the Downloads tab.


SKILLS SHORTAGE OR DEFICIENCY IN UNDERTAKING CORE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

These data provide information on shortages or deficiencies in the types of skills needed to undertake core business activities during the year ended 30 June 2013, irrespective of whether the shortages or deficiencies had been addressed.

Skills shortage or deficiency in undertaking core business activities, by employment size(a)(b)(c), 2012-13
0-4 persons
5-19 persons
20-199 persons
200 or more persons
Total
%
%
%
%
%
Types of skill shortage or deficiency
Engineering
1.3
0.8
2.4
8.1
1.3
Scientific and research
0.9
0.8
0.4
1.1
0.8
IT professionals
1.7
2.6
3.1
7.0
2.1
IT support technicians
1.2
1.8
2.2
4.4
1.5
Trades
5.2
9.8
13.7
5.7
7.3
Transport, plant and machinery operation
1.3
2.4
3.6
3.7
1.8
Marketing
3.7
5.6
3.3
3.5
4.3
Project management
1.4
1.2
1.8
2.8
1.4
Business management
1.7
3.4
3.8
4.0
2.4
Financial
3.3
4.7
2.7
4.1
3.7
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each output category.
(b) Businesses could identify more than one type of skill shortage or deficiency.
(c) Only the skills listed were required to be reported on.


The most common type of skill shortage or deficiency in undertaking core business activities was trades (7%). Businesses with 20-199 persons employed were the most likely to have a shortage of this skill, at 14%.

Businesses in the Manufacturing industry were the most likely to have a shortage or deficiency in engineering (4%), while businesses in the Transport, postal and warehousing industry were more likely to have a skills shortage or deficiency in transport, plant and machinery operation (10%).

Further data relating to skills shortage or deficiency in undertaking core business activities can be accessed via the Downloads tab.