9.6% ▲ +25.6%
Higher than 88% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 7.6%
- 2016: 13.8%
- 2021: 9.6%
Unemployed people as a share of the labour force (aged 15+).
West Coast · Council (LGA)
Jobs & Industry in West Coast
Work across the area — who is in the labour force, in which industries and jobs.
A far lower share of adults are working or looking for work in West Coast compared to the rest of the country. While 48.9% of adults are in the labour force, this is far below the national figure of 61.1%. The region also faces a challenging job market with an unemployment rate of 9.6%, which is well above both the state and national averages.
Labour force
Employment, participation and unemployment.
The percentage of adults working or looking for work has fallen nearly 10 points since 2011 to 48.9%. Unemployment has also risen to 9.6%, making it one of the highest rates for an area of this type. Meanwhile, full-time employment fell 8.2 points since 2011 to reach 56.5%.
48.9% ▼ -16.6%
Lower than 85% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 58.7%
- 2016: 52.0%
- 2021: 48.9%
Share of people aged 15+ who are in the labour force.
56.5% ▼ -12.7%
Lower than 72% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 64.7%
- 2016: 58.5%
- 2021: 56.5%
Share of employed people who worked full-time.
Industries
The industries that employ local workers.
Mining is the dominant industry here, employing 22% of the workforce. Other common industries include accommodation and food services at 14.4%, and education and training at 8.6%.
Occupations
The kinds of jobs people do.
The workforce is led by labourers at 17.4%, followed by technicians and trades at 16.1% and machinery operators and drivers at 15.7%. Community and personal service workers make up 13.5% of roles, while managers account for 10.5%.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for West Coast
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Jobs & Industry in West Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA65610/west-coast/topic/employment