LABOUR FORCE
Age groups
Occupation
Industry
Usual hours
Average weekly earnings
Underutilisation rate
Age groups
EMPLOYED PERSONS(a), by age |
|
 | May 2004 | May 2008 | May 2009 |
| Full time | Part time | Full time | Part time | Full time | Part time |
| Age group (years) | '000 | % | '000 | % | '000 | % | '000 | % | '000 | % | '000 | % |
Australian Capital Territory |
|
| 15 - 24 | 18.2 | 14.0 | 16.9 | 35.4 | 20.8 | 14.2 | 16.5 | 34.6 | 21.0 | 14.3 | 15.2 | 31.3 |
| 25 - 34 | 34.6 | 26.7 | 7.5 | 15.6 | 39.8 | 27.2 | 6.6 | 13.9 | 39.4 | 26.8 | 7.8 | 15.9 |
| 35 - 44 | 31.6 | 24.4 | 9.3 | 19.4 | 34.2 | 23.3 | 9.0 | 19.0 | 34.3 | 23.3 | 9.1 | 18.6 |
| 45 - 54 | 31.9 | 24.6 | 7.3 | 15.3 | 33.5 | 22.9 | 7.1 | 14.9 | 33.4 | 22.7 | 8.5 | 17.4 |
| 55 - 64 | 12.1 | 9.4 | 5.5 | 11.6 | 17.0 | 11.6 | 6.5 | 13.6 | 17.4 | 11.8 | 6.4 | 13.1 |
| 65 and over | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 3.6 |
| Total | 129.6 | 100.0 | 47.9 | 100.0 | 146.6 | 100.0 | 47.6 | 100.0 | 147.3 | 100.0 | 48.7 | 100.0 |
Australia |
|
| 15 - 24 | 930.7 | 13.6 | 777.2 | 28.7 | 1 060.7 | 13.9 | 834.1 | 27.6 | 1 021.8 | 13.3 | 853.5 | 27.6 |
| 25 - 34 | 1 754.6 | 25.7 | 444.0 | 16.4 | 1 871.4 | 24.5 | 451.7 | 14.9 | 1 900.1 | 24.7 | 453.8 | 14.7 |
| 35 - 44 | 1 730.9 | 25.3 | 585.5 | 21.6 | 1 847.0 | 24.2 | 632.4 | 20.9 | 1 846.7 | 24.0 | 641.6 | 20.7 |
| 45 - 54 | 1 607.2 | 23.5 | 509.9 | 18.8 | 1 798.5 | 23.6 | 564.9 | 18.7 | 1 819.2 | 23.6 | 568.6 | 18.4 |
| 55 - 64 | 736.7 | 10.8 | 305.3 | 11.3 | 937.2 | 12.3 | 408.6 | 13.5 | 986.8 | 12.8 | 432.3 | 14.0 |
| 65 and over | 70.0 | 1.0 | 88.4 | 3.3 | 120.2 | 1.6 | 131.8 | 4.4 | 125.9 | 1.6 | 145.1 | 4.7 |
| Total | 6 830.2 | 100.0 | 2 710.3 | 100.0 | 7 635.0 | 100.0 | 3 023.5 | 100.0 | 7 700.5 | 100.0 | 3 094.9 | 100.0 |
|
| (a) Annual averages. |
| Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001). |
Employed full time
The average number of Australian Capital Territory (ACT) usual residents employed full time in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 147,300, similar to the previous year (146,600), and up 14% (17,700), from the 12 months ending May 2004 (129,600). The average number of people employed full time in Australia in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 7.7 million, up 1% (65,500) from the year to May 2008 (7.6 million), and up 13% (870,300) from the year to May 2004 (6.8 million).
From the year ending May 2004 to the year ending May 2009 the number of employed persons in the 55-64 year age group in the ACT experienced the strongest growth of all age groups, up 5,300 (44%). Nationally, the 55-64 year age group also experienced the strongest growth in the number of employed persons with an increase of 250,100 (34%).
Employed part time
The average number of ACT usual residents employed part time in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 48,700, up 2% from the previous year (47,600). Nationally, the average number of people employed part time in the 12 months ending May 2009 was 3.1million, up 2% (71,400) from 2008 (3.0m).
The proportion of people employed part time, aged 15-24 years, has consistently been higher than any other age group, in the ACT and nationally. However, the proportion of 15-24 year olds in the ACT has declined from 35% in 2004 to 31% in 2009, while nationally the decline was from 29% in 2004 to 28% in 2009.
Occupation
Based on occupation by major group,
Professionals made up the largest proportion of employed persons in the ACT for the year ending May 2009 (30%). The group with the largest increase over the five years (2004 to 2009) was
Managers, with 6,900 more people employed in the year ending May 2009 than in 2004. The group experiencing the largest decrease was
Sales workers, falling 2,700 persons from the year ending May 2004 to the year ending 2009.
Industry
Employed Persons(a), by industry: Australian Capital Territory |
|
| May 2004 | May 2009 |
| Industry division(b) | '000 | % | '000 | % |
|
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Mining | - | - | - | - |
| Manufacturing | 5.6 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| Construction | 9.7 | 5.5 | 12.3 | 6.3 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 1.3 |
| Retail Trade | 17.0 | 9.6 | 16.7 | 8.5 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 12.2 | 6.9 | 11.2 | 5.7 |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 5.4 | 3.0 | 4.9 | 2.5 |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 4.8 | 2.7 | 4.7 | 2.4 |
| Financial and Insurance Services | 2.5 | 1.4 | 4.3 | 2.2 |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 2.6 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 16.8 | 9.5 | 22.5 | 11.5 |
| Administrative and Support Services | 6.6 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Public Administration and Safety | 48.1 | 27.1 | 56.3 | 28.9 |
| Education and Training | 16.2 | 9.2 | 16.9 | 8.6 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 14.7 | 8.3 | 18.3 | 9.4 |
| Total | 177.2 | 100.0 | 195.1 | 100.0 |
|
| - nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
| (a) Annual average of quarterly data. |
| (b) Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2006 edition. |
| Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003) |
Based on employment by industry division, the largest employer in the ACT for the 12 months ending May quarter 2009 was
Public Administration and Safety (56,300). This was also the industry with the largest increase in employed persons between year ending May 2004 and year ending May 2009 (8,200 persons).
Usual hours
EMPLOYED PERSONS(a), by usual hours worked |
|
| May 2009 |
| Full time | Part time |
| '000 | % | '000 | % |
Australian Capital Territory |
|
| 0 hours | - | - | - | - |
| 1-15 hours | 0.2 | 0.2 | 19.0 | 39.0 |
| 16-29 hours | 0.9 | 0.6 | 20.0 | 41.1 |
| 30-34 hours | 1.1 | 0.8 | 9.4 | 19.3 |
| 35-39 hours | 55.8 | 37.9 | - | - |
| 40 hours | 41.3 | 28.0 | - | - |
| 41-44 hours | 8.2 | 5.5 | - | - |
| 45-49 hours | 15.6 | 10.6 | - | - |
| 50-59 hours | 16.3 | 11.1 | - | - |
| 60 or more hours | 7.8 | 5.3 | - | - |
| Total | 147.3 | 100.0 | 48.7 | 100.0 |
Australia |
|
| 0 hours | 3.3 | - | 22.0 | 0.7 |
| 1-15 hours | 13.1 | 0.2 | 1 180.5 | 38.1 |
| 16-29 hours | 49.8 | 0.6 | 1 347.3 | 43.5 |
| 30-34 hours | 70.3 | 0.9 | 545.1 | 17.6 |
| 35-39 hours | 2 326.0 | 30.2 | - | - |
| 40 hours | 2 314.7 | 30.1 | - | - |
| 41-44 hours | 326.0 | 4.2 | - | - |
| 45-49 hours | 806.0 | 10.5 | - | - |
| 50-59 hours | 1 036.3 | 13.5 | - | - |
| 60 or more hours | 755.0 | 9.8 | - | - |
| Total | 7 700.5 | 100.0 | 3 094.9 | 100.0 |
|
| - nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
| (a) Annual average monthly data. |
| Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001). |
Usual hours worked by employed persons, on average, during the 12 months ending May 2009 differed between the ACT and Australia. A smaller proportion of full-time workers in the ACT worked 41 hours or more per week (33%) compared with Australia (38%). However, a larger proportion of ACT full-time employed (66%) worked between 35-40 hours than the national average (60%). In the 12 months ending May 2009 the most common hours usually worked by people employed part time in the ACT and Australia were 16-29 hours per week (ACT 41%, Australia 44%).
Average weekly earnings
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS: Trend |
|
| | February 2008 | February 2009 |
Australian Capital Territory |
|
| Earnings | $ | 1 055.0 | 1 138.4 |
| Percentage change from previous quarter | % | 1.1 | 1.9 |
| Percentage change from corresponding quarter of previous year | % | 2.8 | 7.9 |
Australia |
|
| Earnings | $ | 881.7 | 918.5 |
| Percentage change from previous quarter | % | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Percentage change from corresponding quarter of previous year | % | 3.6 | 4.2 |
|
| Source: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (cat. no. 6302.0). |
In trend terms, Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) of $1,138 for the ACT in February 2009 were $220 higher than the national average of $919. AWE increased 7.9% between February 2008 and February 2009 for the ACT (from $1,055 to $1,138) and 4.2% for Australia (from $882 to $919).
Underutilisation rate
LABOUR FORCE UNDERUTILISATION RATE(a)(b): Trend
In trend terms, the labour force underutilisation rate for Australia has increased each quarter from May quarter 2008 (10%) to May quarter 2009 (13%).
Over the same period, the labour force underutilisation rate for ACT has increased by only 0.4 percentage points (7.4% in May quarter 2008 to 7.8% in May quarter 2009).
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