 The 2001 census recorded 4,628 Northern Midlands residents as employed; comprising 63.3% of the population aged 15-64 years. Of those employed, 63.6% were in full-time employment (working more than 35 hours/week). Males comprised 69.6% of the fulltime employed, and females comprised 68.5% of the part-time employed.
The census recorded 439 people as unemployed: approximating 8.8% of the workforce (compared with a statewide average of 10.1%). Males comprised 61% of the unemployed. Of the unemployed males, 84% were seeking full-time employment, in comparison with 56% of the females. The 2001 unemployment rates varied across the Northern Midlands communities, with Evandale recording the lowest rate of unemployment; and Campbell Town, the highest rate (Table1). The percentage of employed in full-time work showed only slight variation across the communities (Table 1). Table 1: Unemployment rates and full-time/part-time employment by towns, 2001 | Town | Unemployment
rate: 15-24 yr olds (%)
| Unemployment
rate: 15 years
and over (%)
| Full-time
employed of all employed (%)
| | Longford | 16.9 | 10.1 | 60.6 | | Perth | 14.3 | 8.4 | 65.1 | | Evandale | 10.1 | 6.5 | 61.9 | | Cessy | 15 | 7.6 | 63.1 | | Campbell Town | 21.1 | 15.5 | 61.9 | | Ross | 0 | 9.2 | 57.3 |
Occupation
Of the 4,628 Northern Midlands residents recorded as employed at the 2001 census, 13.7% stated they were managers/administrators, 11.1% professionals and associated professionals, 14.9% tradespersons and related workers, 13.7% clerical/sales and service workers, and 12.7% labourers and related workers. The spread of occupations was uneven across the communities (Table 2). Table 2: Occupations by communities, 2001 | Occupations | Longford | Perth | Evandale | Cressy | C'Town | Ross |
|---|
Managers/
administrators* | 5.1 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 5.7 | | Professionals | 21.6 | 17.9 | 30.3 | 13.5 | 19.7 | 31.8 | | Tradespersons | 17.8 | 15.8 | 13.9 | 20.9 | 15.9 | 17 | Clerical,
sales & service | 27.5 | 32.7 | 26.9 | 20.9 | 26.8 | 17.1 | | Labourers | 14 | 11.6 | 7.4 | 17.2 | 17.2 | 19.3 | | Others | 14 | 14 | 15 | 24.3 | 15.8 | 9.1 |
*The municipal wide average of 13.7% managers/administrators was not achieved in any of the major Northern Midlands communities. It is assumed that the majority of the people recorded as managers/administrators were on farms and properties outside the boundaries of the major towns. Industry of Employment
Table 3 provides a comparison of the industry of employment of Northern Midlands residents at the 1991 and 2001 censuses. (NB The 1991 census date can be used as an indicator only, as the industry classification underwent a major review following the 1991 census). Table 3: Industry of Employment, 1999-2001 | Industry | % employed Northern
Midlands residents:
1991 | % employed Northern
Midlands residents:
2001 |
|---|
| Manufacturing | 10.4 | 10.5 | | Construction | 4.9 | 5 | | Retail trade | 11.4 | 14.2 | | Property & business services | 3.2 | 5.4 | | Education | 5.4 | 6.3 | | Health & Community Services | 8.2 | 10 |
Building Activity in the Northern Midlands
The Northern Midlands is experiencing a building boom. This increased activity holds for all types of building works: residential and commercial, as shown in the table below.
Table 4: Building Activity in the Northern Midlands 2001 - 2007 Specific data | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | uilding applicants | 196 | 251 | 364 | 301 | 264 |
| Dwellings | 33 | 40 | 92 | 85 | 65 |
| Industrial/ commercial | 23 | 24 | 10 | 20 | 26 |
| Value | $7.69m | $15.023m | $17.90m | $21.04m | $19.35m |
|
Employment |