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Wholesale Trade

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
355,700
Past Growth
-3.3%
Future Growth
1.8%
Weekly Earnings
$1,300
Workforce Share
2.6%
Full-Time Share
82.5%
Female Share
32.8%
Average Age
44
About this data

Summary

Wholesale Trade is a small employing industry. Around 2.6% of workers have their main job in this industry.

Wholesalers don't usually have a shop front to sell their items; they are the middle step between manufactures and retailers or businesses.

Many workers do not have a post-school qualification, due to the high proportion of lowers skilled occupations.

Most people with their main job in this industry work full-time.

Average earnings are $1,300 per week, higher the all industries average of $1,250.

Employment

Employment in the Wholesale Trade industry fell over the 20 years to February 2023.

The number of workers:

  • grew by 8,200 (or 2.4%) over the last quarter
  • grew by 25,700 (or 7.8%) over the last year.

Quarterly employment, Wholesale Trade industry

Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, February 2023, seasonally adjusted.


Outlook

Employment in Wholesale Trade is projected to grow by 6,600 (or 1.8%) over the five years to November 2026.

Employment levels, past and projected, Wholesale Trade

Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, November 2021, seasonally adjusted and Jobs and Skills Australia, 2021 Employment projections for the five years to 2026.


Sectors

Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling is the largest sector in the Wholesale Trade industry, employing 19.9% of workers.

Employment by sector, Wholesale Trade industry

Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, February 2023, seasonally adjusted.


Occupations

Largest employing occupations

Storepersons is the largest employing occupation in the Wholesale Trade industry.

The 10 largest employing occupations are shown below. The table shows:

  • the number employed in all industries
  • the number employed in this industry
  • the proportion employed in this industry.

Some occupations are common across a number of industries.

Largest employing occupations, Wholesale Trade industry

ANZSCO Code Occupation title

Employment
(all industries)

 Employment
(this industry)		 Proportion employed in this industry
7411 Storepersons 155,000 30,800 20%
6113 Sales Representatives 80,000 20,000 25%
5911 Purchasing and Supply Logistics Clerks 91,700 19,900 22%
1333 Importers, Exporters and Wholesalers 25,700 18,300 71%
1311 Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Manager 163,800 17,600 11%
6211 Sales Assistants (General) 543,500 17,400 3%
2254 Technical Sales Representatives 29,900 13,200 44%
1421 Retail Managers 249,100 12,400 5%
5311 General Clerks 288,700 9,600 3%
7331 Truck Drivers 170,300 9,400 6%

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, four quarter average, 2021.

Related occupations

The Wholesale Trade industry employs workers in a range of occupations.

The table below shows related occupations by ANZSCO Skill Level (Skill Level 1 is the highest skill level). This includes occupations that:

  • contribute a large share of industry employment (account for at least 3% of industry employment)
  • have a large share of workers in this industry (at least 5% of workers in an occupation).

These thresholds were used as a guide only and a number refinements were made to the list of occupations included.

The table shows the total number of people employed in each occupation as well as the number and proportion employed in this industry at the time of the 2016 ABS Census.

  • In most cases, 6-digit ANZSCO occupations are shown. This is the most detailed level of ANZSCO.
  • 4-digit occupations are shown where the ANZSCO classification system only has one valid 6-digit occupation.
  • The 4-digit employment figures will differ from the figures shown in the Largest employment occupations table above because the figures have come from different data sources.

Expand or collapse each Skill Level button to view related occupations.

Occupations related to Wholesale Trade industry, by skill level

ANZSCO code Occupation title Employment
(all industries)		 Employed
(this industry)		 Proportion employed in this industry
131112 Sales and Marketing Manager 93,896 13,891 15%
133312 Wholesaler 10,948 8,486 78%
225411 Sales Representative (Industrial Products) 15,739 6,390 41%
221111 Accountant (General) 126,046 4,869 4%
225412 Sales Representative (Medical and Pharmaceutical Products) 8,343 4,548 55%
225113 Marketing Specialist 47,537 4,487 9%
1111 Chief Executive or Managing Director 52,650 3,116 6%
1322 Finance Manager 45,349 3,036 7%
111211 Corporate General Manager 47,951 3,017 6%
133611 Supply and Distribution Manager 23,217 2,626 11%
133311 Importer or Exporter 3,585 2,599 72%
133512 Production Manager (Manufacturing) 30,108 1,690 6%
139914 Quality Assurance Manager 13,525 981 7%
225213 ICT Sales Representative 6,922 936 14%
133612 Procurement Manager 7,028 915 13%
225499 Technical Sales Representatives nec 2,174 754 35%
263111 Computer Network and Systems Engineer 12,691 657 5%
225211 ICT Account Manager 4,058 609 15%
263212 ICT Support Engineer 6,405 496 8%
2334 Electronics Engineer 4,147 367 9%
232311 Fashion Designer 2,981 363 12%
263312 Telecommunications Network Engineer 6,000 354 6%
225212 ICT Business Development Manager 2,814 345 12%
234112 Agricultural Scientist 2,653 328 12%
263311 Telecommunications Engineer 2,633 286 11%
121299 Crop Farmers nec 1,872 274 15%
221112 Management Accountant 5,039 259 5%
232312 Industrial Designer 3,078 244 8%
233511 Industrial Engineer 3,640 203 6%
233513 Production or Plant Engineer 3,077 200 6%
233913 Biomedical Engineer 838 113 13%
263113 Network Analyst 1,633 100 6%
234212 Food Technologist 1,140 61 5%
251512 Industrial Pharmacist 787 53 7%
121212 Flower Grower 981 50 5%

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.

ANZSCO code Occupation title Employment
(all industries)		 Employed
(this industry)		 Proportion employed in this industry
142111 Retail Manager (General) 164,975 5,852 4%
149212 Customer Service Manager 32,559 2,594 8%
222111 Commodities Trader 2,105 581 28%
312512 Mechanical Engineering Technician 974 89 9%
311312 Meat Inspector 517 49 9%

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.

ANZSCO code Occupation title Employment
(all industries)		 Employed
(this industry)		 Proportion employed in this industry
323211 Fitter (General) 58,558 4,175 7%
321211 Motor Mechanic (General) 69,123 2,581 4%
611112 Stock and Station Agent 1,918 1,261 66%
342311 Business Machine Mechanic 2,445 1,045 43%
321212 Diesel Motor Mechanic 7,559 924 12%
3512 Butcher or Smallgoods Maker 15,295 789 5%
323299 Metal Fitters and Machinists nec 2,593 553 21%
3624 Nurseryperson 2,629 432 16%
639211 Retail Buyer 3,970 395 10%
611111 Auctioneer 585 355 61%
323314 Precision Instrument Maker and Repairer 1,702 274 16%
612111 Business Broker 618 272 44%
3331 Glazier 7,984 219 3%
351112 Pastrycook 6,388 170 3%
639212 Wool Buyer 196 167 85%
323412 Toolmaker 2,291 95 4%
394213 Wood Machinist 1,006 84 8%
399917 Wool Classer 478 61 13%
393212 Clothing Patternmaker 390 39 10%
399914 Optical Mechanic 447 32 7%
393211 Apparel Cutter 330 20 6%

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.

ANZSCO code Occupation title Employment
(all industries)		 Employed
(this industry)		 Proportion employed in this industry
7411 Storeperson 98,510 19,312 20%
611314 Sales Representative (Personal and Household Goods) 26,403 8,057 31%
551111 Accounts Clerk 88,499 7,796 9%
733111 Truck Driver (General) 129,332 6,311 5%
7213 Forklift Driver 44,420 6,067 14%
7321 Delivery Driver 37,794 4,850 13%
591116 Warehouse Administrator 15,084 3,623 24%
621312 Motor Vehicle Parts Interpreter 15,229 3,452 23%
591117 Order Clerk 12,532 3,301 26%
611399 Sales Representatives nec 16,826 2,803 17%
611311 Sales Representative (Building and Plumbing Supplies) 9,110 2,474 27%
591115 Stock Clerk 16,616 2,148 13%
591211 Despatching and Receiving Clerk 21,614 1,921 9%
591113 Purchasing Officer 13,877 1,886 14%
611312 Sales Representative (Business Services) 16,923 1,338 8%
621311 Motor Vehicle or Caravan Salesperson 16,736 1,168 7%
611313 Sales Representative (Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories) 3,580 1,020 28%
591212 Import-Export Clerk 4,892 698 14%
6215 Retail Supervisor 27,163 686 3%
831211 Meat Boner and Slicer 6,044 602 10%
899415 Tyre Fitter 6,026 566 9%
6399 Other Sales Support Worker 5,041 431 9%
591112 Production Clerk 4,235 328 8%
712912 Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator 2,446 298 12%
6395 Visual Merchandiser 4,421 274 6%
7116 Sewing Machinist 6,486 251 4%
839311 Product Examiner 3,611 245 7%
733114 Tanker Driver 2,748 232 8%
711314 Other Wood Processing Machine Operator 1,844 210 11%
831212 Slaughterer 2,233 184 8%
711911 Chemical Production Machine Operator 2,172 150 7%
839312 Product Grader 1,591 150 9%
711516 Rubber Production Machine Operator 1,326 135 10%
839313 Product Tester 1,470 68 5%
711113 Glass Production Machine Operator 1,041 67 6%
733112 Aircraft Refueller 740 57 8%
712914 Concrete Batching Plant Operator 656 41 6%
711111 Clay Products Machine Operator 603 31 5%
712913 Cement Production Plant Operator 294 29 10%

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.

ANZSCO code Occupation title Employment
(all industries)		 Employed
(this industry)		 Proportion employed in this industry
6211 Sales Assistant (General) 512,086 19,109 4%
639112 Sales Demonstrator 8,911 1,305 15%
621999 Sales Assistants and Salespersons nec 4,118 1,209 29%
621911 Materials Recycler 2,157 1,151 53%
8322 Product Assembler 20,035 1,151 6%
6212 ICT Sales Assistant 12,141 1,110 9%
841412 Horticultural Nursery Assistant 4,996 996 20%
832199 Packers nec 10,859 711 7%
831311 Meat Process Worker 8,663 672 8%
832114 Meat Packer 8,951 667 7%
832113 Fruit and Vegetable Packer 5,956 578 10%
831199 Food and Drink Factory Workers nec 7,519 515 7%
891111 Freight Handler (Rail or Road) 6,374 455 7%
6393 Telemarketer 6,404 388 6%
839412 Sawmill or Timber Yard Worker 2,421 337 14%
831313 Seafood Process Worker 1,621 332 20%
839918 Recycling Worker 1,800 265 15%
621711 Cash Van Salesperson 1,350 237 18%
621712 Door-to-door Salesperson 3,921 218 6%
832115 Seafood Packer 425 155 36%
831115 Fruit and Vegetable Factory Worker 2,245 152 7%
839912 Chemical Plant Worker 1,424 102 7%
832112 Container Filler 2,333 96 4%
831116 Grain Mill Worker 1,076 66 6%
839914 Fabric and Textile Factory Worker 857 43 5%
839916 Glass Processing Worker 627 38 6%
832111 Chocolate Packer 429 23 5%
839917 Hide and Skin Processing Worker 219 23 11%
839212 Rubber Factory Worker 245 18 7%

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.


Data Downloads

Industry profile data

This file contains data for all 19 industries to make comparing industry data easy. Information available includes:

  • Industry snapshot data
  • Industry employment (20-year time series)
  • Industry employment projections
  • Industry sector employment
  • Top employing occupations by industry
Excel document
Industry Profile Data February 2023

(95 Kb)

Download

Occupations related to each Industry, by Skill Level

This spreadsheet lists occupations that are related to each industry by ANZSCO Skill Level.

Excel document
Related Occupations By Skill Level

(251 Kb)

Download

Useful links

Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 

The ANZSIC provides a basis for the standardised collection, analysis and dissemination of economic data on an industry basis for Australia and New Zealand. The ANZSIC is a hierarchical industry classification with four levels, namely Divisions (the broadest level), Subdivisions, Groups and Classes (the finest level).

There are 19 Division level industries, most industry data on LMI are displayed at this level. Division level industries provide a broad overall picture of the economy and this level is most suitable for the publication of summary tables in official statistics. 

The Subdivision, Group and Class levels provide increasingly detailed dissections of these categories for the compilation of more specific and detailed statistics. The sector data on LMI is at the Group level. 

For more information on the ANZSIC visit the ABS website. 


Industry links

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