This page provides high level information and data on the Government industry which comprises three main industry sectors:
For more information on these areas, see the Government Services, Interpreting and Translating and Local Government pages.
See Corrections and Public Safety for more information on that sector.
The Public Sector comprises federal and state/territory governments, statutory bodies and state-owned corporations. Public Sector employees play a key role in the development, review and implementation of government policies and provide an array of services for the community. There is a diverse range of occupations within the Public Sector, spanning areas including policy, finance, governance and regulation, and multiple disciplines, such as education, health, transport, police and emergency services. There are currently over 1,987,000 Public Sector employees in Australia and the Public Sector is expected to experience strong levels of growth over the next five years.
Nationally recognised training for the Government industry is delivered under the PSP – Public Sector Training Package.
Information sourced from the most recently available Skills Forecast, the Public Sector IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast.
All data sources are available at the end of the page.
The Public Sector IRC was not required to submit an annual update to their 2019 Skills Forecast during 2020. As such, the version published in 2019 remains the most recently published Skills Forecast for this industry.
The Local Government IRC was not required to submit an annual update to their 2019 Skills Forecast during 2020. As such, the version published in 2019 remains the most recently published Skills Forecast for this industry.
Please note: any employment projections outlined below were calculated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics prior to COVID-19.
Employment in the Public Administration industry increased steadily between 2000 and 2020. In 2020 there were 607,700 workers, which is projected to grow to 656,000 by 2024. Though not all workers in the area of Government may be captured by this industry, it nevertheless provides a good indicator of the employment in the area.
Employment in Public Order, Safety and Regulatory Services has risen between 2000 and 2020, with some variability between 2007 and 2013. This measure includes workers out of scope for this cluster, such as those in the police, fire and prison services, however it is also relevant to the regulatory functions this cluster includes. Employment in Public Order, Safety and Regulatory Services is projected to increase from 207,200 in 2020 to 208,300 by 2024.
Most of the main VET-related occupations identified in the Public Administration industry are projected to see employment growth between 2019 and 2024. This growth is particularly strong for Welfare Support Workers with a projected increase of 23%, followed by Intelligence and Policy Analysts with a projected increase of 13% and Policy and Planning Managers with a projected increase of 11%. Contract, Program and Project Administrators are projected to have the lowest growth, at approximately 2%. Inspectors and Regulatory Officers are projected to decline by around 3% between 2019 and 2024.
VET-related occupation projections are also generally positive in Public Order, Safety and Regulatory services. Occupations such as Other Specialist Managers and General Clerks are projected to grow by approximately 8% and 5% respectively between 2019 and 2024.
Please note this does not include VET-related occupations that are not relevant to this cluster, such as police and fire-related occupations (covered in the Corrections and Public Safety industry cluster).
Program enrolments and completions in Government-related qualifications increased substantially between 2015 and 2017, with the largest increase being between 2016 and 2017. Program enrolments and completions declined significantly between 2017 and 2019.
Between 2015 and 2019 the majority of Government-related subjects were delivered as part of a nationally recognised program. In 2019, less than 4% of Government-related subjects were not delivered as part of a nationally recognised program.
The Public Sector IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast suggests the top priority skills for the Public Sector are all soft skills, ranging from teamwork and communication through to stress tolerance and flexibility. The top generic skills range from thinking critically, virtual collaboration and social intelligence through to foundation skills.
According to the job vacancy data, the top requested skills by employers in the Government industry were communication skills and planning. The most advertised occupations were Contract, Program and Project Administrators followed by General Clerks. The top employers were the New South Wales Government and the Government of Queensland. The top location for job advertisements was New South Wales.
The Public Sector IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast identifies a number of key skills gaps across the Public Sector, including:
The Public Sector IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast highlights the significance of the ageing workforce. Nearly half (48%) of the Australian Public Service (APS) workforce is aged 45 years or over. Attraction and development of staff to address the effects of an ageing workforce is a focus for many agencies, including introducing lifelong learning opportunities. Implications of an older workforce include the loss of skills and knowledge due to retirement, and retirement may be further accelerated across the sector as changes to superannuation arrangements, employment arrangements or other work conditions are made. Succession planning has therefore never been more important for the sector than now, and in the 2018–19 budget the Australian Government announced the Collaborative Partnership on Mature Age Employment, an initiative to encourage employers to collaborate to reduce age discrimination and create more mature-age friendly work environments. Other examples of programs and processes being applied to address the impact of an ageing workforce include: mentoring programs, leadership development programs and workplace exchanges with other agencies or overseas.
The Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science report Australia's Tech Future: Delivering a Strong, Safe and Inclusive Digital Economy, states that emerging technologies, data and analytics, and artificial intelligence present significant opportunities for the Government to deliver better outcomes for the public and the ability to do so more efficiently and effectively. By harnessing the opportunities of digital technologies the Government can continue to improve citizen and business experience. Millions of Australians are already securely accessing a range of government services online every day, including, myGov, myTax, and My Health Record. Data analytics and artificial intelligence capability can also help governments to improve services and create a more valuable experience for individuals and businesses by using existing data insights to tailor services. There are many challenges that impact on a government's ability to adopt innovative digital technologies. One of the most important challenges is the capability barrier in terms of staff skills and knowledge. To design, build and deliver great digital services governments need the right people with the right skills.
In the Australian Government Response to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Report: Digital Delivery of Government Services, the Government agrees that digital capability is a key skillset for the APS, and recognises the importance of providing pathways for ICT and digital specialists to join the APS workforce as well as education and training initiatives to build the digital capability of existing staff. The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) supports Digital Entry Level Programs to help APS agencies attract, select, uplift and retain digitally skilled employees. Since the first program commenced in 2007, there have been 1,135 participants in the program. One of the Entry Level Programs is the Digital Apprenticeship Program which supports year 12 graduates (or equivalent) to enter the APS and develop their digital skills. Apprentices work full-time while they study a range of ICT courses to support further development. Other Entry Level Programs include cadetships and programs for university graduates. These programs are additional to department and agency specific programs to attract ICT specialists. As part of the Building Digital Capability program, a series of learning design standards for specialist digital roles have been developed. A digital leadership program is also being delivered to support senior executives to drive digital culture across their agency.
In December 2019, the Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet released Delivering for Australians: a World-Class Australian Public Service: the Government's APS Reform Agenda. Priorities include to:
The State of the Service Report 2018-19 states that the APS workforce of the future will need to be more empowered, mobile, diverse, adaptive and capable. APS workplaces will need to be better connected and characterised by continuous learning and feedback. As an employer, the APS will need to attract, reward and retain the best talent, and will increasingly compete with other jurisdictions and sectors to fill critical and emerging roles. In addition, the APS will not be immune from the labour market disruption that has already started due to advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data. Reskilling some segments of the APS workforce will be an important aspect of workforce planning to manage job transitions for employees as skills requirements change. Lifelong learning and ongoing skills development will continue to underpin capability development as the APS grapples with the changing nature of work.
Today's Problems, Yesterday's Toolkit argues that improving individual skills provides the linchpin for tackling public problems and restoring trust in government. The authors outline the core skills – the 21st century toolkit – of the public entrepreneur, and how governments around the world are putting these skills to use. Ten recommendations for designing an effective public sector training program, emphasising the need to include both qualitative and quantitative skills, are offered. The report also calls for a radical reshaping of training for public service leaders. Hybrid online and offline learning, and problem- and project-based coaching and mentorship, would all help public servants to become public entrepreneurs, skilled in public problem solving.
The NSW Public Sector Aboriginal Employment Strategy: NSW Working Together for a Better Future, 2019–2025 aims to build a talent pipeline by attracting more Aboriginal peoples to work in the NSW public sector and helping them advance their careers. The strategy goes beyond employment targets and includes a focus on growing Aboriginal cultural competency for all employees across the sector.
For specific analysis of issues affecting Local Government, see Local Government.
Governments at federal, state, territory and local levels all displayed skills that have helped keep Australians safe and informed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Skills demonstrated include:
Skilled staff were recruited for additional jobs in Health and Aged Care and for jobs such as contact tracing, hotel security and cleaning. New skillsets and training modules were developed including COVID-19 Infection Control Training for health care workers in all settings and COVID Marshall Training.
Below is a list of industry-relevant research, organisations and associations. Hyperlinks have been included where available.
Australia's Tech Future: Delivering a Strong, Safe and Inclusive Digital Economy – Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Australian Government Response to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Report: Digital Delivery of Government Services – Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Australian Public Service Employee Census 2019 – Australian Public Service Commission (ASPC)
COVID-19 Infection Control Training – Australian Government Department of Health
Delivering for Australians: a World-Class Australian Public Service: the Government's APS Reform Agenda – Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Government Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak – Australian Government Department of Health
Our Public Service, Our Future: Independent Review of the Australian Public Service – Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Prescribed COVID Marshal Training – Government of South Australia
State of the Service Report 2018-19 – Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)
The NSW Public Sector Aboriginal Employment Strategy: NSW Working Together for a Better Future, 2019–2025 – NSW Public Service Commission
Today's Problems, Yesterday's Toolkit – Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)
Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate
Australian Capital Territory Government
Australian Government Department of Defence
Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (Education focus)
Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (Employment focus)
Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT)
Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)
Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
Environmental Health Australia (EHA)
Government of South Australia Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Government of South Australia Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment (OCPSE)
Government of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Government of Western Australia Public Sector Commission
Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA)
Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ)
Local Government Association of South Australia
Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT)
Local Government Association Tasmania (LGAT)
Local Government New South Wales (LGNSW)
Local Government Professionals Australia
Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI)
New South Wales Government Department of Premier and Cabinet
New South Wales Government Public Service Commission
Northern Territory Government Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment (OCPE)
Planning Institute of Australia (PIA)
Queensland Government Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Queensland Government Public Service Commission
Tasmanian Government Department of Premier and Cabinet
Tasmanian Office of the State Service Commissioner
Victorian Government Department of Premier and Cabinet
Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA)
Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC)
Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA)
Government of South Australia Office of Local Government
Government of Western Australia Department of Communities
Government of Western Australia Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
New South Wales Government Office of Local Government
Northern Territory Government Department of Local Government, Housing and Community Development
Queensland Government Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs
Australian Services Union (ASU)
Australian Workers’ Union (AWU)
Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU)
Professionals Australia Local Government Engineers’ Association (LGEA)
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)
Department of Employment 2020, Employment Projections, available from the Labour Market Information Portal
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2020, Employed persons by Industry group of main job (ANZSIC), Sex, State and Territory, November 1984 onwards, 6291.0.55.003 - EQ06, viewed 1 August 2020 https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/6291.0.55.003May%202020?OpenDocument
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017, 2016 Census – employment, income and unpaid work, TableBuilder. Findings based on use of ABS TableBuilder data.
Training data has been extracted from the National VET Provider Collection, Total VET Students and Courses from the following training packages:
This includes superseded qualifications and training packages.
Data covers a range of selected student and training characteristics in the following categories and years:
Total VET students and courses data is reported for the calendar year. Program enrolments are the qualifications, courses and skill-sets in which students are enrolled in a given period. For students enrolled in multiple programs, all programs are counted. Program completion indicates that a student has completed a structured and integrated program of education or training. Location data uses student residence. Subject enrolment is registration of a student at a training delivery location for the purpose of undertaking a module, unit of competency or subject. For more information on the terms and definitions, please refer to the Total VET students and courses: terms and definitions document.
Low counts (less than 5) are not reported to protect client confidentiality.
Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. This can lead to situations where the total sum of proportions in a chart may not add up to exactly 100%.
Priority skills data have been extracted from the Public Sector IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast.
Job vacancy data have been extracted from Burning Glass Technologies 2020, Labor Insight Real-time Labor Market Information Tool, Burning Glass Technologies, Boston, viewed July 2020, https://www.burning-glass.com.
Data shown represent most requested generic skills, occupations and employers according to internet job postings in Australia between July 2017 and June 2020 filtered by ANZSIC and ANZSCO classification levels listed below.
