Public Sector

The Public Sector consists of federal, state and territory governments which include agencies, statutory bodies and government owned corporations. The Public Sector is one of the largest employers in Australia and work with the community to deliver key services to keep communities safe, grow the economy, provide education, transport and health care.

What does this industry cover?

The Public Sector is diverse and covers numerous departments with the main areas being policy, finance, governance and regulation. Employees in the public sector can expect to provide policy advice and analysis, customer service and engagement, commission and contract and manage networks.

The Public Sector has been impacted by similar challenges that other industries are facing such as emerging technologies, data and analytics and artificial intelligence. Future growth areas are predicted in Public Order and Safety Services, Justice and Regulatory Services.

Job hunting preparation

The majority of public sector employees roles are within state and territory governments however there are entry level, such as apprenticeship, Indigenous career pathways, cadet, school leaver and graduate programs available in both federal and state and territory public sectors.

Top priority skills: teamwork and communication, critical thinking, research and analytic thinking and innovation.

Occupations in demand: Contract, Program and Project Administrator, General Clerks, Other Specialist Managers, Secretaries and Information Officers.

Information for further research

Industry information is published by peak level associations, government and major employers.  Accessing industry association sites, including member lists, is a good way of building up an understanding of an industry.  Visiting employer websites and looking for careers or employment menus helps identify how employers recruit and the skills they are recruiting.

Employment and wage data for this industry

Apprenticeships Employment Size

This is a small industry for Australian Apprenticeship commencements. In the year to September 2022, commencements were: 206

Source: VOCSTATS, extracted on 11/4/2023. AATIS analysis.

Commencements Change

Commencements in the year to September 2022 in this industry have decreased, compared with the previous year.

Source: VOCSTATS, extracted on 11/4/2023. AATIS analysis.

Apprentice Employment Outcomes

For Australian Apprentice graduates from this industry, employment outcomes are high.

Source: NCVER National Student Outcomes Survey, 2020, unpublished. AATIS analysis.

Industry Employment Size

This is a large sized industry compared with other Australian industries.

Source: National Skills Commission, 2022. AATIS analysis.

Industry Employment Change

In the next 5 years, change in employment in this industry is predicted to increase.

Source: National Skills Commission, 2022. AATIS analysis.

Industry Wage

The average wage of all employees in this industry is medium to high.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022. AATIS analysis.

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