Retail trade skills and workforce snapshot
Workforce overview
Victoria’s fourth largest employing industry:
- 349,000 people employed
- 9.3% of the Victorian workforce.
Top employing jobs in the industry:
- Sales assistants (general)
- Retail managers.
Workforce profile
- Workforce is younger and more female-dominated (56% female)
- A quarter of the workforce holds a higher-education qualification, with a similar proportion holding a VET qualification
- Workers are mainly concentrated in store-based and food retailing.
Projections
Moderate employment growth projected:
- Growing at a rate of 0.5% per year to 2028
- By 2028, the industry is projected to need 23,200 new workers.
Top growing jobs in the industry are:
- Sales assistants (general), +6,300 new workers by 2028
- Retail managers, +2,900 new workers by 2028.
Regional outlook
Regions expecting the highest share of new workers:
- Melbourne: Western metropolitan Melbourne, +5,700 new workers by 2028
- Regional: Barwon +1,200 new workers by 2028.
Skills demand
Sales assistants and retail managers account for the majority of employment in this industry:
- The fastest‑growing occupations span a broad spectrum of skill and salary ranges.
Most in-demand industry specific skills:
- General sales practices
- Customer service.
Skills supply
Popular vocational education and training courses:
- Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start).
Popular university study areas:
- Certificate II in Hospitality
- Management and commerce.
Updated