By 2028, 6,000 new workers are expected to enter the wholesale trade industry.
Workforce projections: 3-year and 10-year outlook
Workforce projections – industry
Time period | Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Share | No. | Share | ||
2025 to 2028 | -340 | -6% | 6,300 | 106% | 6,000 |
2025 to 2035 | -90 | 0% | 20,900 | 100% | 20,800 |
Workforce projections – Victoria
Time period | Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Share | No. | Share | ||
2025 to 2028 | 143,000 | 38% | 230,000 | 62% | 373,000 |
2025 to 2035 | 650,000 | 45% | 804,000 | 55% | 1,454,000 |
Note: Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
New workers expected⁵ by industry subdivision from 2025 to 2028
Industry subdivision | Number of workers | VET | Higher education | No post-school qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Machinery and equipment | 2,700 | 32% | 42% | 26% |
Other goods wholesaling | 1,900 | 24% | 40% | 36% |
Basic material wholesaling | 1,200 | 32% | 23% | 45% |
Commission-based wholesaling | 650 | 30% | 26% | 44% |
Grocery, liquor and tobacco | 530 | 26% | 29% | 45% |
Occupations with high new workers expected⁵ with direct TAFE study pathways⁶ from 2025 to 2028
Occupation | New workers expected5 | TAFE pathways into occupation6 | Available under Free TAFE7 |
|---|---|---|---|
Storepersons | 690 | No qualification required | - |
Auctioneers, and stock and station agents | 460 | No direct course pathways | - |
Importers, exporters and wholesalers | 360 | Higher education qualification required | - |
Advertising, public relations and sales managers | 320 | Higher education qualification required | - |
Accounting clerks | 250 | Certificate III in Business | - |
Certificate III in Accounts Administration | - |
Southern metropolitan (within metropolitan Melbourne) and Barwon (within regional Victoria) are expecting the highest share of new workers
New workers expected⁵ for wholesale trade, by region⁸, from 2025 to 2028
New workers expected – industry
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Industry | -340 | 6,300 | 6,000 | 2% |
New workers expected – Metropolitan Melbourne
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Metropolitan Melbourne | -260 | 5,300 | 5,000 | 85% |
Southern metropolitan | -140 | 1,300 | 1,200 | 23% |
Western metropolitan | 260 | 900 | 1,200 | 23% |
Eastern metropolitan | -180 | 1,300 | 1,100 | 21% |
Inner metropolitan | 20 | 780 | 800 | 16% |
Northern metropolitan | -120 | 750 | 630 | 13% |
Inner south-east metropolitan | -90 | 280 | 190 | 4% |
New workers expected – Regional Victoria
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Regional Victoria | -80 | 990 | 910 | 15% |
Barwon | 30 | 260 | 280 | 31% |
Gippsland | 30 | 140 | 170 | 19% |
Ovens Murray | 40 | 80 | 120 | 13% |
Loddon Campaspe | -20 | 120 | 100 | 11% |
Great South Coast | -10 | 80 | 70 | 8% |
Central Highlands | -50 | 110 | 60 | 7% |
Goulburn | -20 | 70 | 60 | 6% |
Wimmera Southern Mallee | -20 | 40 | 20 | 2% |
Mallee | -70 | 90 | 20 | 2% |
Note: Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
- 85 per cent of new workers expected for the industry will be located within metropolitan Melbourne, with Southern metropolitan and Western metropolitan with the highest share of new workers
- 15 per cent of new workers expected for the industry will be located within regional Victoria, with Barwon and Gippsland with the highest share of new workers.
Updated