The line graph compares the percentages of employment between men and women aged 18 to 34 in the years 1976 and 2011 in Australia.
Overall, employment rates for men were consistently higher than those for women, and increased gradually with age. By contrast, employment levels of women recorded an opposite pattern: starting with the highest proportion, they declined steadily as ages rose. Additionally, it is crucial to highlight that the levels in 1976 were maintained higher than in 2011 in both genders. However, changes among women employment rates were more mixed.
In 1976, around 55% of men who aged 18 had a job, which was the highest proportion for this cohort. Next, this percentage rose significantly, reaching around 70% by the mid-20s. After a slight dip, it surged to approximately 90%, hitting pinnacle among other age brackets and gender. In 2011, figures exhibited an upward trend, which is similar to 1976. Nevertheless, there was a steady gap between them, recording levels in 2011 as slightly lower. Starting with roughly 42%, this proportion climbed to over 70%, facing some dips in the mid-20s.
Women, on the other hand, faced a downward trend. In 1976, figures were about 52%. After declining to just 40%, the amount reached mid-30s among women who aged 34. In 2011, more than 45% women aged 18 were recorded as being employed, while only around 35% were among females aged 34. Although the percentages declined sharply, there was a slight increase in the proportion in ages between 22 and 25.