The table illustrates the percentage of the workforce employed in six industries—Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, Construction, Education, and Tourism—in Australia in 1989 and 2009. Overall, employment in Manufacturing and Retail declined, while the other sectors saw growth over the period.
Manufacturing had the highest proportion of workers in 1989, at 15%, but this figure dropped significantly to 9.8% in 2009. Similarly, Retail employment declined from 11.8% to 10.1% over the same period.
In contrast, the Healthcare sector experienced an increase in employment from 9.6% in 1989 to 11.3% in 2009, making it the largest employer in 2009. Likewise, Construction, Education, and Tourism all saw modest increases, rising from 7.6%, 6.8%, and 5.5% to 8.3%, 7.5%, and 7.3%, respectively.
In summary, Manufacturing had the highest employment in 1989, but by 2009, Healthcare became the leading sector, while Tourism consistently had the lowest workforce participation.