About the professional, scientific and technical services industry
About these reports
These reports provide a point in time, data-driven overview of the workforce and skills for each industry.
The report does not provide a complete view of workforce dynamics within the industry. Its purpose is to support ongoing efforts to address workforce and skilling demands and to identify opportunities within the professional, scientific and technical services industry.
Report coverage
This report focuses on the professional, scientific and technical services industry and the occupations relevant to the industry, categorised using the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) classification of industries (ANZSIC) and occupations (ANZSCO).
Coverage in this report is limited to employment in the industry and sectors as defined by the ABS, noting some occupations are almost exclusively associated with an industry, such as surgeons in the health services sector, while others, such as accountants, are associated with many industries.
Furthermore, industry classifications rarely encompass the full nature of the work (and therefore skills) associated with a given industry. Therefore, ABS definitions of industries or sectors may not align with the definitions used by an industry association.
Key sectors of the industry
The professional, scientific and technical services industry provides highly skilled, specialist knowledge-based services.
The key sectors within the professional, scientific and technical services industry are:
- Legal and accounting services – includes legal practices, barristers, auditing, taxation and bookkeeping services
- Architectural, engineering and design – includes building design, surveying, civil engineering and drafting
- Scientific and technical services – includes environmental studies, lab testing, research and development, veterinary services and actuarial work
- IT and consulting – includes management consulting, human resources, marketing, public relations and computer system design
- Advertising and market research – includes media buying, digital advertising, brand strategy and consumer research.
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