Age by Industry
The average age (mean) of the Electricity, Gas and Water Supply industry is 41.2 years. The chart below displays the age distribution of workers in Electricity, Gas and Water Supply. The largest proportion of workers are in the 45 to 49 year age group (18.1 per cent), followed 40 to 44 years (16 per cent).
Year 2014 projections of the age profile of the Education industry against the age profile of the population in ten years time, shows that there could be considerable variation between these two profiles. Most noticeable is at 45 to 55 years, where there is a huge proportional concentration of workers, compared to the Australian population.
Age by Occupation
The oldest employees within Electricity, Gas and Water Supply are Managers and Administrators, aged 44.6 years on average and, Labourers and Related Workers whose average age is 43.5 years. The youngest groups are Intermediate Clerical and Service Workers, aged 36.9 years.
Age by Education
The level and currency of post-secondary qualifications held by workers within Electricity, Gas and Water Supply demonstrates the ability of the industry to sustain its productivity into the future.
Less than one third of all workers in Electricity, Gas and Water Supply have no post-secondary education (30.4 per cent). This is a comparatively low proportion. The majority of the workers, who do hold a post-secondary qualification, have a certificate level qualification (35 per cent), while over a quarter of workers in this industry have an diploma, advanced diploma or bachelor degree.
There is no significant difference in the level of qualifications amongst older and younger workers in Electricity, Gas and Water Supply. Sixty-seven per cent of workers aged 45 years and over who hold post-secondary qualifications, obtained them before 1980. For workers aged less than 45 years, 24.4 per cent had completed their qualification prior to 1990.
|
Highest Post-secondary Qualification by Age |
|||
|
Highest Qualification |
15 to 44yrs |
45yrs and over |
Total |
|
Postgraduate Degree Level |
4.3% |
2.3% |
3.4% |
|
Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate Level |
1.9% |
1.5% |
1.7% |
|
Bachelor Degree Level |
16.5% |
13.9% |
15.4% |
|
Advanced Diploma and Diploma Level |
11.2% |
11.7% |
11.4% |
|
Certificate Level |
34.8% |
35.0% |
34.9% |
|
No Post-secondary Education |
28.7% |
32.7% |
30.4% |
|
Other |
2.7% |
3.0% |
2.8% |
|
Total |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
|
Year of Completion of Post-secondary qualification by Age |
|||
|
Year completed qualification |
15 to 44yrs |
45yrs and over |
Total |
|
Before 1971 |
|
24.1% |
9.7% |
|
1971-1980 |
6.3% |
44.7% |
21.7% |
|
1981-1985 |
18.2% |
14.7% |
16.8% |
|
1986-1990 |
17.8% |
4.7% |
12.5% |
|
1991-1995 |
24.5% |
6.5% |
17.3% |
|
1996-1997 |
11.1% |
1.2% |
7.1% |
|
1998-1999 |
12.3% |
2.4% |
8.3% |
|
2000-2001 |
9.9% |
1.8% |
6.6% |
|
Total |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
Age by Working Arrangements
The working arrangements of employees within Electricity, Gas and Water Supply are highly variable, with only one in eight workers employed on a standard 40 hour week basis. There is an approximate 20-40-40 hour split in the working arrangements of employees within Electricity, Gas and Water Supply. Just over one fifth of the workforce are employed for 40 hours a week; with a four-fifth working either over (40.7 per cent) or under forty hours (39.6 per cent) a week on average
|
Weekly Hours Worked by Age |
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|
Hours worked |
15 to 44yrs |
45yrs and over |
Total |
|
1-15 hours |
1.4% |
1.2% |
1.3% |
|
16-24 hours |
3.1% |
1.6% |
2.5% |
|
25-34 hours |
7.9% |
4.8% |
6.6% |
|
35-39 hours |
30.9% |
29.5% |
30.3% |
|
40 hours |
20.5% |
22.7% |
21.4% |
|
41-48 hours |
17.4% |
20.7% |
18.8% |
|
49 or more hours |
18.8% |
19.5% |
19.1% |
|
Total |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
Age by Industry Trends
The Electricity, Gas and Water Supply industry faces a number of challenges in recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce for the future. To enable this the industry must modify it's current work practices and introduce comprehensive learning and development strategies for workers of all ages. Key areas to be addressed include hand-held computers/smart vehicles; single man aloft; electrical licensing; use of computers for diagnostic work; multi-skilling; use of internet to report faults; occupational health and safety; new codes & regulations and changing reporting systems & requirements. Recognition of Prior Learning and Recognition of Current Competency will allow older Electricity, Gas and Water Supply workers to engage in up-skilling and re-skilling more easily as they can by-pass training in areas they are already competent in.
Source:
ElectroComms and EnergyUtilities Qualifications Standards Body of Australia (2003) EE-Oz National Vet Plan For Industry 2003-2006/8
