Discover industries – Retail Trade

Retail Trade is a large industry with jobs available throughout Australia. Part-time work is common and qualifications after high school are usually not required.

A man serves a customer at a store point of sale

Featured industry

Jobs in this industry are in most locations across Australia, with good on-the-job training opportunities.

View top 10 occupations in this industry

About Retail Trade

Retail Trade is one of the largest employing industries in Australia.

Retail businesses are mainly involved in the purchase and selling of goods to the public. Businesses typically trade from stores that attract walk-in customers, but the number of online retailers is growing.

For many roles on-the-job training is common. Most workers do not have post-school qualifications.

Around half of those with their main job in this industry work full-time hours. Part-time work is common and weekend work makes this industry a good option for workers who want to combine work with study or caring responsibilities.

Source: Labour Market Insights, Jan 2024

Workforce share in Australia

Percentage of workers who have their main job in this industry. 

9.6 %
Employed in Australia

The number of people this industry employs in Australia. 

1,334,493
Industry growth in Australia

This is the projected amount this industry will grow by in Australia over the next 5 years. 

1.8 %

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), Employment Projections, May 2023.

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Current and future employment in Australia

See how Australia's Retail Trade industry is projected to grow by 6.1% over a 10-year period compared to an average Australian industry growth rate of 14.2%.

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Largest employing occupations

This table shows the top-10 occupations in Retail Trade by employment numbers.

Sales Assistant (General)
Retail Managers
Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers
Shelf Filler
Storeperson
Retail Supervisor
Pharmacy Sales Assistant
Pharmacists
Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons
Purchasing and Supply Logistics Clerks

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, 2021

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