The Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations has released the Australian Jobs 2011 report into the state of employment in Australia, finding that employment with the public administration and safety sector is set to grow by 5.9%, or 40,900 jobs.

 

The predictions come as the report found that the sector had grown by 13.2%, or 80,700 jobs, over the previous five years, brining the total employed in the area to 693,000, or 6% of the country’s workforce.

 

The largest number of new jobs were in the subdivisions of Public Administration (up by 60 400) and Public Order, Safety and Regulatory Services (29 900).

 

The report also found professionals in the area are significantly more likely to hold a bachelor degree or higher, with 40% of the sector’s employees holding a degree compared to 26% for the national average.

 

The Public Administration and Safety industry employs almost 300 000 people outside the state capital cities or 43% of its employment. This is well above the average for all industries (37%).

 

This industry is particularly important in the ACT, about 30% of the Territory’s workforce is employed in this industry, five times the national average (6%).

 

The full report is available here