KPMG Australia analysis reveals that care economy jobs in health and childcare dominate the list of the fastest growing occupations from 2014 to 2024. Tech & IT Professionals, Marketers, HR Professionals, Chefs & Cooks and Truck & Delivery Drivers round out the list as the gig economy and the prioritisation of wellbeing and health significantly alter Australia’s occupational structure.
Digitisation of the economy has also seen major declines in the take-up of occupations of such as Executive Assistants and Travel Agents. A decline in the number Farmers is reflecting a shift away from smaller, family-run farms to larger farming operations. Meanwhile, Print Manufacturing Workers and Telco Repair & Installation Workers[1] complete the list of fastest shrinking jobs between 2014 and 2024.
| Occupation | No. workers in 2014 | No. workers in 2024 | Additional workers | Growth rate |
| Aged & Disabled Care workers | 216,900 | 429,000 | 212,500 | 98.0% |
| Tech & IT Professionals | 320,900 | 497,300 | 176,400 | 55.0% |
| Early Childhood & Child Care | 168,000 | 257,000 | 88,500 | 52.5% |
| Marketing, Ad & PR Professionals | 211,100 | 297,500 | 86,400 | 40.9% |
| Nurses & Midwives | 297,200 | 383,500 | 86,300 | 29.0% |
| Allied Health Workers | 102,900 | 189,200 | 86,300 | 83.9% |
| Human Resources Professionals | 187,400 | 264,700 | 77,300 | 41.2% |
| Chefs, Cooks & Kitchen Hands | 288,600 | 363,900 | 75,300 | 26.1% |
| Teachers | 311,400 | 384,800 | 73,400 | 2.6% |
| Truck & Delivery Drivers | 270,400 | 337,700 | 67,300 | 24.9% |
Source: KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation by combining data from The Australian Tax Office tax returns, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets.
Note: The top growing occupation groups were ordered by the number of additional workers.
| Occupation | Number of workers 2014 | Number of workers 2024 | Additional workers | Growth rate |
| Executive Assistants | 105,000 | 82,300 | -22,700 | -21.6% |
| Farmers | 167,000 | 144,800 | -22,200 | -13.3% |
| Travel Agents | 27,000 | 17,600 | -9,400 | -34.8% |
| Print Manufacturing Workers | 26,900 | 20,700 | -6,200 | -23.0% |
| Telco Repair & Instanllation Workers [1] | 42,800 | 37,500 | -5,300 | -12.4% |
Source: KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation by combining data from The Australian Tax Office tax returns, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets.
[1] Workers who install, monitor and carry out repairs / technical support functions for telecommunications cables and networks.
Changing occupational structure
In total the number of workers in Australia has increased by 22.9% between 2014 and 2024 from 11.4 million to 14.0 million, with the ten top-growing occupational groupings accounting for over 1 million new workers, representing almost 40% of all growth.
Care economy occupations like Aged & Disabled Care Workers (+98.0%) and Allied Health Workers (+83.9%) have almost doubled over the past decade. Early Childhood & Child Care (+52.5%) and Nurses & Midwives (+29.0%) have also seen strong growth.
“The surge in care economy occupations reflects a jobs market responding to Australia’s changing demographics,” said KPMG Urban Economist, Terry Rawnsley.
“As the older Baby Boomers enter their late 70’s and early 80’s the need to rapidly expand aged care and related health services grows stronger. Meanwhile, increased participation of women in the workforce has meant the demand for childcare has similarly increased over the last decade.”
“We are already seeing governments invest heavily in the aged care, disability support, and childcare sectors to meet future expected demand.”
Since 2014, the number of Tech & IT Professionals, including Software Programmers, Systems Administrators, and IT Security Specialists, has increased by 176,400, representing a 55.0% growth in the profession.
“These Tech & IT Professionals design, code, test, and maintain software applications, driving the digital infrastructure behind our essential online banking, shopping, and time-saving apps,” Rawnsley said.
“Many of these professionals also support IT systems across a range of non-tech businesses within the economy, so it isn’t all just about the glamorous end of tech development,” Rawnsley added.
Some occupational groups have seen sharp declines in workers. The number of Executive Assistants fell by more than 20% to 82,300 over the past decade due to the automation of administrative functions through smartphones and apps.
As less books, newspapers and magazines have been produced, Print Manufacturing Workers have been in steady decline. Travel Agents have been impacted by the growth of online traffic websites, with almost a 35% decline.
“Farmers are an interesting case. The significant decline in the number of Farmers, who run the day-to-day operations of the farm, (-22,200) has been offset by a 10,700 increase in farm workers, which suggests that we are seeing a shift away from smaller, family-run farms to larger farming operations,” Rawnsley explained.
Textile Manufacturing Workers have continued a long-term decline over the past decade, which has seen the bulk of our clothing produced overseas.
Personal Care and mental health are priorities for Aussies
In the decade from 2014 there has been a significant increase in the number of jobs created in the personal care sector. Growth in Fitness Instructors was more than 32%, while Nutritional Professionals increased by 50%.
In additional to physical fitness, more Australians are working in mental health, with an additional 24,700 Psychologists entering the workforce between 2014 and 2024.
Within the personal care occupations, the number of Audiologists & Speech pathologists has more than doubled since 2014. While grouped together in the source data, the growth in Audiologists may be related to an ageing population driving demand, whereas Speech Pathologists are often more focused on younger people in need of support.
“Australians are increasingly prioritising their personal well-being and are willing to employ professionals to support them. Similarly, a deeper awareness of mental health has led to more demand for Psychologists and Counsellors,” Rawnsley said.
Personal Care occupational groupings 2014-2024
| Occupation | Number of workers 2014 | Number of workers 2024 | Additional workers | Growth rate |
| Psychologists | 24,800 | 49,500 | 24,700 | 99.6% |
| Fitness Instructors | 29,600 | 39,300 | 9,700 | 32.8% |
| Counsellors | 21,700 | 30,400 | 8,700 | 40.1% |
| Audiologists & Speech Pathologists | 8,700 | 21,500 | 12,800 | 147.1% |
| Nutrition Professionals | 5,600 | 8,400 | 2,800 | 50.0% |
Source: KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation by combining data from The Australian Tax Office tax returns, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets.
Takeaway food love affair driving sector growth
Our lifestyle changes are also evident in the hospitality industry, with more people dining out or ordering takeaway meals. Delivery Drivers are in high demand, up 99.5% from 2014 to 86,800 in 2024, reflecting the surge in online sales.
There has been almost 16% growth in Food Service occupations (such as Bar Attendants, Baristas, and Waiters) to 356,100 in 2024. Those occupations in Food Preparation (e.g. Cooks, Chefs Kitchenhands) are up 26.1% to 363,900.
“These different growth rates are reflecting the greater use of QR codes and apps to order from tables and takeaway dining reducing the need for wait staff relative to food preparation workers,” Rawnsley said.
Food Service occupational groupings 2014-2024
| Occupation | Number of workers 2014 | Number of workers 2024 | Additional workers | Growth rate |
| Waiters | 129,00 | 124,600 | -4,800 | -3.7% |
| Baristas & Bartenders | 88,700 | 120,400 | 31,700 | 35.7% |
| Cafe & Restaurant Managers | 63,200 | 67,900 | 4,700 | 7.4% |
| Cafe Workers | 20,200 | 37,100 | 16,900 | 83.7% |
| Licensed Club Managers | 6,200 | 6,100 | -100 | -1.6% |
| Total Food Service | 307,00 | 356,100 | 48,500 | 15.8% |
| Kitchenhands | 121,400 | 149,600 | 28,200 | 23.2% |
| Chefs | 80,600 | 118,400 | 37,800 | 46.9% |
| Fast Food Cooks | 38,000 | 53,100 | 15,100 | 39.7% |
| Cooks | 43,500 | 38,100 | -5,400 | -12.4% |
| Food Trades Assistants | 5,100 | 4,700 | -400 | -7.8% |
| Total Food Preparation (Chefs, Cooks & Kitchen Hands) | 288,600 | 363,900 | 75,300 | 26.1% |
Source: KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation by combining data from The Australian Tax Office tax returns, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets.
Manufacturing renaissance
From 2014 to 2024, the overall manufacturing occupational groups grew by 9.1%, with the workforce increasing from 779,800 in 2014 to 851,000 in 2024.
“We started to see some improvements in this sector in 2018, followed by another surge in the past couple of years. The supply chain shocks of COVID-19 and broader geopolitical uncertainty have made businesses rethink the way they manufacture products, bringing some aspects of their manufacturing process back to Australian shores,” Rawnsley said.
Supply Chain Support (Supply & Distribution Managers, Purchasing & Supply Logistics Clerks, and Product Quality Controllers) roles saw the most significant growth in the manufacturing sector, with a 23.5% increase, rising from 219,700 to 271,400 workers. This reflects the more complex and integrated supply chains that many manufacturers now operate in.
Metal Manufacturing roles saw a 5.9% rise, reaching 145,600 workers by 2024. Food Manufacturing occupations also saw a 6.4% increase, indicating a stable rise in demand for processed food products. Wood Manufacturing saw substantial growth, with an increase of 17.4% which is likely related to increased wooden fittings and components for housing.
In contrast, Assembly roles only increased by 1,600 workers, likely due to increased automation. Print Manufacturing occupations declined sharply by 23.0%, aligning with the shift towards digital media. Fabric manufacturing occupations, which have been in long term decline, fell by 17.1% in the past ten years.
“These trends highlight the evolving landscape of the manufacturing sector, with areas of both growth and decline. The data underscores the importance of adapting to technological advancements and market demands to sustain and enhance the manufacturing workforce,” Rawnsley said.
Manufacturing occupational groupings 2014-2024
| Occupation | Number of workers 2014 | Number of workers 2024 | Additional workers | Growth rate |
| Supply Chain Support | 219,700 | 271,400 | 51,700 | 23.5% |
| Metal | 137,500 | 145,600 | 8,100 | 5.9% |
| Assembly | 90,900 | 92,500 | 1,600 | 1.8% |
| Food | 76,700 | 81,500 | 4,900 | 6.4% |
| Wood | 32,700 | 38,400 | 5,700 | 17.4% |
| Fabrics | 25,800 | 21,400 | -4,400 | -17.1% |
| 26,900 | 20,700 | -6,200 | -23.0% | |
| Plastics | 10,500 | 9,400 | -1,100 | -10.5% |
| Other Manufacturing | 159,200 | 170,300 | 11,100 | 7.0% |
| Total Manufacturing | 779,800 | 851,000 | 71,200 | 9.1% |
Source: KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation by combining data from The Australian Tax Office tax returns, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets.
Tech revolution a boom for some and bust for others
In line with the growing digital transformation of the workforce, there has been rapid growth of technology related jobs. Tech & IT Professionals have surged over the past decade with the number of workers increasing 55.0% percent since 2014.
These Tech & IT professionals design, code, test, and maintain software applications, which drive the digital infrastructure. In addition, many of these professionals support IT systems across a variety of non-tech businesses within the economy.
The tech boom over the past decade has also impacted traditional roles. The number of bank branch workers has decreased as the frequency of cash transactions at bank branches has declined. In 2024 there were 46,900 Bank Workers (e.g. tellers & officers), compared with 55,400 in 2014.
Similarly, the number of Executive Assistants (which include Personal Assistants & Secretaries) fell by more than 20% to 82,300 over the past decade due to the automation of administrative functions through smartphones and apps. Keyboard Operators (e.g. Data Entry & Typist workers) are also down almost 18% over the past decade to 52,000.
“While traditional roles are naturally impacted by the digital transformation occurring in the workplace, tech sector growth opens up a vast array of exciting new jobs,” Rawnsley said.
Most common occupations
In 2024, the most common occupational grouping are roles that we encounter in our everyday lives, including Retail Shop Floor workers (793,900), Food Service Workers (356,100), and key workers such as Nurses & Midwives (383,500), Teachers (384,800), and Aged & Disabled Carers (429,400).
“Many of these occupations are undertaking indispensable roles that are integral to our daily lives.” said Rawnsley.
Tech & IT Professionals and Accountants & Bookkeepers are also among the largest occupational groupings highlighting the importance of white-collar workers in the economy.
These trends paint a picture of the evolving Australian job market, reflecting broader economic and societal shifts and the influence of technological advancements on employment patterns.
Large Employing Occupational Groupings in 2024
| Occupation | Number of workers 2014 | Number of workers 2024 | Additional workers | Growth rate |
| Retail - Shop Floor | 741,000 | 793,900 | 52,900 | 7.1% |
| Tech & IT Professionals | 320,900 | 497,300 | 176,400 | 55.0% |
| Receptionists & Office Clerks | 455,900 | 482,000 | 26,100 | 5.7% |
| Accountants & Bookkeepers | 420,400 | 442,800 | 22,400 | 5.3% |
| Retail - Other | 355,800 | 431,500 | 75,700 | 21.3% |
| Aged & Disabled Care Workers | 216,900 | 429,400 | 212,500 | 98.0% |
| Teachers | 311,400 | 384,800 | 73,400 | 23.6% |
| Nurses & Midwives | 297,200 | 383,500 | 86,300 | 29.0% |
| Food Preparation (Chefs, Cooks & Kitchen Hands) | 288,600 | 363,900 | 75,300 | 26.1% |
| Food Service | 307,600 | 356,100 | 48,500 | 15.8% |
Source: KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation by combining data from The Australian Tax Office tax returns, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets.
For further information
Hayden Jewell
0423 868 454
hjewell@kpmg.com.au
Alex Bernhardt
0478 469 999
abernhardt1@kpmg.com.au
Summary Methodology
KPMG calculated estimates for the size of each occupation in 2024 by combining tax returns data from The Australian Tax Office, Employment data from the Census, The Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Jobs & Skills Australia NERO data sets. Occupations classification in each dataset is based on ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) *.
In bringing together the various data sources to create robust and up-to-date insights into occupation trends, KPMG adjusts the Census data to match the average level of the Labour Force Survey for each occupation between 2016 and 2021. This is then used to derive an estimate of 2014 employment, using interpolation.
The estimate for 2024 is constructed by applying the implied annual growth rates from the NERO data to the Census from 2021. When presenting the results, similar occupations under the standard classification were grouped together for clarity. For example, the KPMG Retail Shop Floor Occupation is a grouping of Sales Assistants (General), Retail Supervisors, Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers, Shelf Fillers.
This provides an estimate which is highly consistent with the various data sources available.
The estimates are an annual average for each year.
*The ANZSCO is dated and not fully reflective of today’s modern labour force, hence trends in new occupations are poorly defined. In acknowledging that ANZSCO is no longer fit for purpose, the ABS is introducing a new occupation system, OSCA (Occupation Standard Classification for Australia).