Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants
Age by Industry
Age by Occupation
Age by Education
Age by Working Arrangements
Age by Industry Trends
Age by Industry
The average age (mean) of the Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants industry is 34.1 years. This is the second youngest industry across all sectors. The chart below displays the age distribution of workers in Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants. The largest proportion of workers are in the 20 to 24 year age group (18.2 per cent), followed 15 to 19 years (14.3 per cent).
AGE BY INDUSTRY
Accommodation, Cafe's and Restaurants
Age grouping
ABS (2001) Labour Force Australia
Projections of the age profile of the Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants 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 the diversion at the 25 to 34 years and 55 years and over age groups, demonstrating a higher proportional concentration of young people compared to the Australia population.
ACCOMMODATION, CAFE'S & RESTAURANTS
Workforce Population Age Profile Year 2004
Age by Occupation
The oldest employees within Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants are Managers and Administrators, aged 43 years on average and Advanced Clerical and Service Workers, aged is 41 years. The youngest groups are Intermediate Clerical, Sales and Service Workers, 28.8 years.
AGE BY OCCUPATION
Accommodation, Cafe's and Restaurants
Occupation
ABS (2001) Labour Force Australia
Age by Education
- The level and currency of post-secondary qualifications held by workers within Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants is relatively limited, with 62 per cent of all workers in Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants having no post-secondary education.
- The majority of workers who do hold a post-secondary qualification, have obtained qualifications at a certificate level (19 per cent).
- Seven in ten workers aged between 15 and 44 years who hold a post-secondary qualification, obtained them post-1990. In comparison, only 1.5 in 10 workers aged 45 and over completed their qualification after 1990.
| Highest Qualification | 15 to 44yrs | 45yrs and over | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Degree Level | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate Level | 0.3% | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| Bachelor Degree Level | 5.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Advanced Diploma and Diploma Level | 6.6% | 4.5% | 6.0% |
| Certificate Level | 19.9% | 16.5% | 19.0% |
| No Post-secondary Education | 62.4% | 61.6% | 62.1% |
| Other | 5.3% | 10.1% | 6.5% |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Year completed qualification | 15 to 44yrs | 45yrs and over | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 1971 | 40.7% | 9.8% | |
| 1971-1980 | 5.4% | 32.3% | 11.9% |
| 1981-1985 | 10.6% | 7.8% | 9.9% |
| 1986-1990 | 13.1% | 4.3% | 11.0% |
| 1991-1995 | 20.9% | 6.5% | 17.5% |
| 1996-1997 | 11.5% | 1.6% | 9.1% |
| 1998-1999 | 16.4% | 2.8% | 13.1% |
| 2000-2001 | 22.0% | 4.0% | 17.7% |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Age by Working Arrangements
- The working arrangements of employees within Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants are highly variable, with only 12 per cent of workers employed on a standard 40 hour week basis.
- A large proportion of workers in this industry are employed for less than 40 hours a week (62 per cent). A third of this group work for 15 hours a week or less.
| Hours worked | 15 to 44yrs | 45yrs and over | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 hours | 25.1% | 15.8% | 22.7% |
| 16-24 hours | 14.8% | 12.9% | 14.3% |
| 25-34 hours | 13.8% | 12.8% | 13.6% |
| 35-39 hours | 11.6% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 40 hours | 11.2% | 14.6% | 12.0% |
| 41-48 hours | 8.2% | 7.4% | 8.0% |
| 49 or more hours | 15.3% | 25.1% | 17.1% |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Age by Industry Trends
- The Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants industry stands to benefit greatly from population ageing.
- Through government lead active ageing strategies older people have been encouraged to engage in leisure activities to remain active, to mix socially, and connect with the community. Retirement provides people with the time to pursue recreational leisure and tourism activities. The Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants industry is a key provider of an enjoyable and active lifestyle, particularly for the "new old" baby boomer consumers.
- Yet to attain the benefits of population ageing, the industry must ensure that it can retain a skilled workforce. At present, the industry has a strong reliance on young people. However as the growth of young people entering the labour market slows over the next five to ten years, competition to attract this pool of labour will intensify, leading to increased wages and conditions.
- Of equal importance the sustainability of future demand, that will rest largely on whether older Australians enter work and retirement arrangements that sustain their high standards of living.
