About the wholesale trade 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 wholesale trade industry.
Report coverage
This report focuses on the wholesale trade 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 wholesale trade industry purchases and resells goods in bulk to retailers, businesses, and institutions without significant transformation.
The key sectors within the wholesale trade industry are:
- Agricultural products – includes bulk trading of grains, seeds, fertilisers, livestock feed and other agricultural inputs
- Mineral, metal and industrial products – includes trade in building materials, fuels, chemicals, machinery and industrial equipment
- Motor vehicle and parts – includes wholesaling of cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers and spare parts
- Household and personal goods – includes distribution of appliances, electronics, furniture, clothing, footwear, cosmetics and recreational goods.
Updated