Employment profile

Parramatta has NSW’s largest employment concentration outside of the Sydney CBD. Close to 90,000¹ people work in the area with over two thirds of jobs located in the major business hubs; Parramatta CBD, Westmead and the industrial estates of Camellia, Rydalmere and Rosehill.

Strong employment growth

Employment in the Parramatta CBD has grown at least eightfold since 1971 - from an estimated 5,000 jobs to an approximate 40,000² today. There was strong employment growth across a number of industry sectors including health services, finance and insurance and professional services.

Low unemployment

Since 2001, the unemployment rate in Parramatta City remained consistently lower than that of the National, New South Wales and Sydney Metropolitan average. This is despite its population growing at an average annual rate of 1%. Currently, its unemployment rate stands at 3.7%³, lower than NSW's average of 4.3%³.

A skilled workforce

Access to skills and labour are important to Australian businesses looking to expand. Parramatta’s residential population of over 157,000⁴ and regional population of 1.88⁴ million mean that businesses locating to the area have access to a large, professionally-skilled labour pool.

In 2006, over 45%⁵ of all employees in were employed in a managerial, professional or paraprofessional capacity, reinforcing Parramatta’s status as a key business centre. A further 7%⁵ of the workforce were employed as skilled tradespeople.

Important changes in occupational patterns indicate Parramatta’s mounting shift towards a higher skilled professional employment centre including:

• A growth in the number of professionals and paraprofessionals by 9%⁵ between 2001 and 2006
• The number of people employed as Managers and Administrators remained the same over this period.

Future growth

The NSW Government estimates that the Parramatta CBD will host up to 100,000 jobs by 2051. The city continues to successfully attract an increasing number of finance and business, and other services firms to the centre.

Based on employment growth trends over the last two or three decades, employment modelling by Parramatta City Council’s Economic Development Team, suggests that by 2025, employment in the CBD will increase by an extra 30,000 people. The chief industry areas which will absorb this future growth will further cement Parramatta’s prime commercial position.

Notes

1. 2006 Population Census. Estimate derived from the Dept of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations publication Small Area Labour Markets.
2. NSW Dept of Planning’s Metropolitan Strategy.
3. Dept of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations publication Small Area Labour Markets.
4. ABS 3235.0 Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia as at 30 June 2007.
5. 2006 Population Census