Illawarra Employment Diversity: From Manufacturing Hub to Balanced Market
Explore how Illawarra’s job market shifted from manufacturing-dominated to a diverse mix of occupations, tracked by HHI trends and top occupation shares.
Illawarra’s job market has evolved significantly since 2019. Once heavily reliant on manufacturing roles, recent data show a substantial shift toward a more balanced occupational mix. Below we analyze normalized HHI trends and the leading occupation groups.
Detailed Region Analysis
Illawarra
Employment Diversity in Illawarra
Normalized HHI Trend
Illawarra’s average normalized HHI declined by 38% from approximately 0.157 in 2019 to 0.098 in 2025. A lower HHI indicates that job vacancies are no longer concentrated in a handful of occupations, reducing reliance on manufacturing.
Top Occupation Groups (Latest Month)
- Professionals: 13.8% of total vacancies
- Community and Personal Service Workers: 7.5%
- Technicians and Trades Workers: 7.4%
- Clerical and Administrative Workers: 6.6%
- Managers: 4.9%
Technicians and trades workers, which include many manufacturing-related positions, now represent only 7.4% of vacancies—well below professional roles.
What This Means
- Economic Resilience: A diverse spread of occupations cushions Illawarra against sector-specific downturns.
- Career Opportunities: Job-seekers can explore roles across health, tech, and services, not just manufacturing.
- Policy Implications: Support for emerging sectors can sustain diversity and growth.
Conclusion
Illawarra’s shift away from manufacturing concentration toward a diverse labor market positions the region for more stable economic growth and broader career pathways.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a decline in HHI signify?
It means vacancies are spread across more occupations, indicating increased diversity and reduced concentration.
Why is manufacturing share important?
Manufacturing share shows the proportion of job ads in manufacturing roles; a lower share indicates a more balanced job market.