Biggest Industries by Employment in Australia in 2020

1. Professional Services in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 844,687

The Professional Services subdivision provides various professional, scientific and technical services to a range of markets. The subdivision has moderately expanded over the past five years. Of all the industries in the subdivision, the Scientific Research Services industry has exhibited the strongest revenue growth. Additionally, the subdivision's largest industries, the Engineering Consulting, Management Consulting, Legal Services and Accounting Services industries have all modestly grown over the past five years, contributing to the subdivision's overall growth. As a result, subdivision revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 1.5% over the five years through 2018-19, to reach $165.2 billion. This includes... Learn More

2. Health Services in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 785,850

The Health Services subdivision includes a range of health services and facilities. General hospitals are the subdivision's largest revenue driver, accounting over half of Australia's health services revenue. General practitioners, clinical specialists and dentists also represent significant revenue streams for the subdivision. Australia's growing and ageing population, combined with expanding private health insurance coverage, is expected to generate strong demand for health services over the five years through 2018-19. Rising demand has primarily driven revenue growth, as inflation has outpaced increases in Medicare benefits per service and schedule fees in some industries. Health services revenue is expected to grow at... Learn More

3. Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 657,821

The Consumer Goods Retailing subdivision has been subject to tough retail conditions over the past five years. Weak disposable income growth and volatile consumer sentiment due to unstable economic conditions have resulted in a poor trading landscape, as households scaled back their expenditure on non-essential goods. In addition, the rise in online shopping has contributed to a fall in retail demand for many consumer goods over the period, such as photographic equipment, video games and recorded music, newspapers and books, and stationery goods.

Subdivision operators have struggled with intensifying competition from online-only retailers, as consumers have become increasingly comfortable with making... Learn More

4. Community Services in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 633,972

Community services organisations play an important role in supporting Australia's welfare system. Subdivision operators help to arrange care and counsel for individuals in need, including the economically disadvantaged and other vulnerable members of society, such as children and the elderly. Not-for-profit organisations and private enterprises in the Community Services subdivision are expected to earn $56.3 billion in 2019-20 from government funding, donations and private income. Subdivision revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 3.2% over the five years through 2019-20. This trend includes an expected rise of 3.5% in the current year. Favourable demographic trends at both ends of... Learn More

5. Public General Hospitals in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 376,218

The Public General Hospitals industry has recorded strong revenue growth over the past five years. Public hospitals receive most of their funding from federal and state governments, with private health insurance and other non-public revenue sources expected to account for less than 10% of industry funding in 2018-19. Demand for public general hospitals has surged over the past five years, due to Australia's aging population and the rising incidence of chronic illness among adults. Industry revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 3.8% over the five years through 2018-19, to $72.1 billion. This includes anticipated revenue growth of 3.3%... Learn More

6. Temporary Staff Services in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 362,800

The Temporary Staff Services industry provides skilled and unskilled labour to client companies, typically on a short-term basis. Various factors influence demand for staffing services. The national unemployment rate affects industry demand, with lower unemployment generally contributing to greater demand for temporary staff. In addition, greater business outsourcing positively affects industry demand and growth. Performance trends in client markets also affect industry operators. Strong demand from several downstream markets has benefited industry firms over the past five years, including professional services, financial services and healthcare sectors.

Industry revenue has increased in each of the past five years, although the growth rate... Learn More

7. Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 349,125

The Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry is one of the most fiercely competitive industries in Australia. However, price-based competition has begun to decrease over the past two years. Over the first half of the past five-year period, the rapid expansion of ALDI significantly altered the industry's operating landscape, with the popularity of its low-cost private-label products underpinning strong growth. ALDI's rise forced the two established industry giants, Woolworths and Coles, to cut prices and expand their private-label product ranges in response. Smaller supermarket chains have struggled to compete in an increasingly price-intense industry. Industry profit margins have fallen over the... Learn More

8. Government Schools in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 324,817

The Government Schools industry has grown over the past five years due to rising student numbers and government funding. The industry receives most of its income from the federal, state and territory governments, with state and territory funding providing approximately 80% of revenue. Political debate surrounding school funding has introduced volatility to industry revenue over the past five years. However, student enrolment numbers have increased over the period, lifting revenue. Growth in discretionary incomes has allowed parents and guardians to contribute more to school fees, despite also increasing the affordability of competing private schools. Overall, industry revenue is expected to... Learn More

9. Aged Care Residential Services in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 255,375

As Australia's population ages, demand for age-appropriate housing increases. Older individuals are more susceptible to a range of age-related ailments and need more assistance with everyday activities and personal care. As aged-care requirements have changed over the past five years, the Aged Care Residential Services industry has expanded, offering different lifestyle accommodation options. The expansion of industry service offerings, combined with more flexible pricing strategies and strong growth in government aged-care funding, have supported industry revenue growth over the period.

Industry revenue growth has occurred against a backdrop of structural reform, as the government has implemented new policies to create a... Learn More

10. Business Process Outsourcing in Australia

Employment number for 2020: 233,264

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry provides a variety of back and front office functions to business, such as call centre operations, IT services, debt collection and recruitment services. Although many companies undertake these tasks in-house, industry firms can typically perform these processes more efficiently and at a lower cost due to their greater expertise and economies of scale. Outsourcing also allows companies to focus on performing higher value activities. Therefore, downstream businesses have increasingly demanded the industry's services, contributing to the industry's steady performance. Overall, industry revenue is expected to rise at an annualised 3.3% over the five years... Learn More