Download Page as PDF Printer Friendly Page
About Sydney and NSW > People, skills and education

Employed Persons by Industry

The New South Wales economy is the largest in Australia. The State has a significant share of national employment in all industries, reflecting the diversity of its economy.

Service industries are the strengths of the New South Wales economy. New South Wales has 43% of national employment in financial and insurance services, and the State also has the largest shares of employment in information, media and telecommunications (38%), professional, scientific and technical services (36%), tourism-related accommodation and food services (34%), and transport, postal and warehousing (33%) industries.

Retail trade is the largest employer in Sydney and regional New South Wales, followed by health care and social assistance. Employment growth in New South Wales in the last ten years has been strongest in the health care and social assistance, professional, scientific and technical services, construction, and retail trade industries.

Just under one third of the Australian workforce resides in New South Wales, while two thirds of the State's workers live in the Sydney region.

Employed persons by industry, 2009 ('000)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Industry (1)

Sydney (2)

Balance of NSW (3)

Total NSW

Australia

NSW as a % of Aust.

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture, forestry, fishing
8.8
80.6
89.4
362.5
24.7

Mining
3.8
28.3
32.2
169.9
18.9

Manufacturing
201.7
95.9
297.6
1,034.5
28.8

Electricity, gas, water & waste services
18.6
17.5
36.1
131.6
27.5

Construction
184.2
107.6
291.7
985.4
29.6

Wholesale trade
93.4
35.3
128.8
400.8
32.1

Retail trade
239.9
146.2
386.1
1,212.4
31.8

Accommodation & Food Services
143.8
96.8
240.5
709.0
33.9

Transport, Postal & Warehousing
138.9
49.6
188.5
580.5
32.5
Information Media & Telecommunications
72.0
12.1
84.1
222.8
37.7
Financial & Insurance Services
146.4
25.9
172.3
400.5
43.0
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
223.4
56.0
279.4
783.1
35.7
Public Administration & Safety
115.1
80.7
195.8
652.6
30.0
Education & Training
151.9
92.3
244.2
805.8
30.3
Health Care & Social Assistance
227.0
127.1
354.1
1,121.8
31.6
Arts & Recreation Services
42.2
17.2
59.4
192.7
30.8
Other Services
91.5
55.4
147.0
451.0
32.6

Total
2,216.1
1,169.2
3,385.3
10,757.5
31.5

Footnotes:
1: Based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006.
2: Sydney Major Statistical Region (MSR) based on the Statistical Region structure of the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC), 2006.
3: New South Wales excluding the Sydney MSR.

Source: ABS Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003, February 2009. Four-quarter averages are used to smooth volatility in quarterly figures..