Average Age of Engineers

Average ages were estimated using census statistics as the weighted average of single age years from 15 to 100 years weighted by the proportion of qualified engineers in the labour force at each age. Table 11.1 shows estimates of the average ages for the engineering labour force, for the segment of the engineering labour force employed in engineering occupations and for the skilled labour force. Here the skilled labour force is defined as in Chapter 8 as the labour force of people who have at least an

Advanced Diploma or an Associate Degree in any recognised field.

In 2006, the average age of the skilled labour force was 40.7 years; men were older than women, 41.8 years compared to 39.8 years. The average age of the engineering labour force was older, mainly because male engineers were older. The average age of the engineering labour force was 41.7 years with the average age of men 42.3 years and women on average 5.8 years younger at 36.5 years. The Table shows, however, that retention in engineering occupation leads to a reduction in the average age of engineers much closer to that for the skilled labour force. The average age of men in engineering occupations falls to 41.8 years and the average age of women in these occupations falls to 34.0 years. By 2011, small changes towards higher ages had occurred for all groups. The skilled labour force increased average age from 40.7 years to 41.1 years, and both genders had similar experiences. The increase in average age for the engineering labour force was much less, increasing from 41.7 years to 41.9 years and there was barely any increase in the segment employed in engineering occupations. As

was the case in the skilled labour force, the average age increased for both genders in the two engineering groups.

How these changes came about in the engineering groups is explored in the following section.

11.2 Age Structure and how it has changed

Chapter 3 demonstrated the importance of overseas born engineers in the structural composition of the engineering labour force and Chapter 7 highlighted the rapid increase in skilled migration that has occurred, including the period covered by the two census years discussed throughout the Statistical Overview. For these reasons, the distinction between overseas and Australian born qualified engineers is the basis for discussion in this section.

Table 11.2 shows the age structure of the engineering labour force in 2006 and in 2011 by gender and by country of origin. In essence, this Table expands the “labour force” row in Table 3.1 by age groups24.

24

The slight difference between the two Tables is the product of the ABS arrangements to preserve confidentiality.

Table 11.1: The Average Age of the Engineering Labour Force (years)

Census

Year Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total 2006 42.3 36.5 41.7 41.7 34.0 41.0 41.8 39.8 40.7 2011 42.5 37.2 41.9 41.8 35.2 41.1 42.0 40.4 41.1 Source: Estimated from ABS, 2006 and 2011 Population Census using TableBuilder Pro

Labour Force Employed in Engineering Skilled

Table 11.2: The Age Structure of the Engineering Labour Force, 2006 and 2011 2006

Age

Group Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Under 20 years 35 10 45 96 8 104 131 18 149 20-24 years 3147 888 4035 5877 1030 6907 9024 1918 10942 25-29 years 8671 2084 10755 12498 2284 14782 21169 4368 25537 30-34 years 10062 1983 12045 14450 2048 16498 24512 4031 28543 35-39 years 10803 1902 12705 12616 1178 13794 23419 3080 26499 40-44 years 13437 2273 15710 11646 763 12409 25083 3036 28119 45-49 years 12470 1806 14276 10684 529 11213 23154 2335 25489 50-54 years 10269 1006 11275 11006 323 11329 21275 1329 22604 55-59 years 8500 483 8983 8528 180 8708 17028 663 17691 60-64 years 4648 146 4794 4602 91 4693 9250 237 9487 65-69 years 1707 58 1765 1761 39 1800 3468 97 3565 70 Years & over 779 26 805 1158 31 1189 1937 57 1994 Total 84528 12665 97193 94922 8504 103426 179450 21169 200619 2011 Under 20 years 26 12 38 79 1 80 105 13 118 20-24 years 3696 1017 4713 6672 1071 7743 10368 2088 12456 25-29 years 14285 4019 18304 14616 2274 16890 28901 6293 35194 30-34 years 17673 3848 21521 14481 2250 16731 32154 6098 38252 35-39 years 16971 2897 19868 15844 2115 17959 32815 5012 37827 40-44 years 15866 2586 18452 13687 1193 14880 29553 3779 33332 45-49 years 16988 2727 19715 12280 787 13067 29268 3514 32782 50-54 years 13979 1895 15874 11083 474 11557 25062 2369 27431 55-59 years 10480 938 11418 10508 285 10793 20988 1223 22211 60-64 years 7523 370 7893 6999 128 7127 14522 498 15020 65-69 years 3125 81 3206 2955 46 3001 6080 127 6207 70 Years & over 1324 36 1360 1662 40 1702 2986 76 3062 Total 121936 20426 142362 110866 10664 121530 232802 31090 263892 Source: Estimated from ABS, 2006 and 2011 Population Census using TableBuilder Pro

Consideration of Table 11.2 is assisted by Figure 11.1. In Figure 11.1, the age structure of the engineering labour force in 2011 is segmented into the base structure that existed in 2006 and the components of change that have occurred since then. The 2011 labour force is the 2006 labour force plus the changes that occurred between 2006 and 2011. For the labour force as a whole, the base components and the changes that occurred are as follows:

• Base labour force in 2006

o Australian born men; 35.97% o Australian born women; 3.22% o Overseas born men; 32.03% o Overseas born women; 4.80% • Changes from 2006 to 2011

o Australian born men added 6.04% o Australian born women added 0.82% o Overseas born men added 14.18% o Overseas born women added 2.94%

This structure is replicated for each age group in Figure 11.1. Thus, the dark blue bars are the Australian born men in 2006 and the light blue bars are the increases in Australian born men between 2006 and 2011 for each age group. A similar approach is used for overseas born men (green bars), Australian born women (red shades) and overseas born women (purple shades).

Consider for example the largest age group, the 35 to 39 years group. In 2011, this age group accounted for 14.34% of the engineering labour force; 10.04%, or 70.0%, was in place in 2006 and change

between 2006 and 2011 added 4.30%, that is, the remaining 30.0%. Similar breakdowns are shown for each age group. There were several other age groups that showed large component changes.

In contrast, some age groups there was little, or no, change in some components between 2006 and 2011. For example;

• In the 30 to 34 years age group, the change for Australian born men was -0.01% and for Australian born women it was 0.08%.

• There was no change in Australian born women in the 25 to 29 years age group. • Australian born men in the 50 to 54 years age group contracted by 0.03%.

By comparing the changes in age group components to the overall change for the group examined, the changes in average ages set out in Table 11.1 can be better understood. The average age of men

14.00 12.00 10.00 8.00 6.00 4.00 2.00 0.00 2.00 4.00 Under 20 years 20-24 years 25-29 years 30-34 years 35-39 years 40-44 years 45-49 years 50-54 years 55-59 years 60-64 years 65-69 years 70 Years & over

% in Age Groups

A

ge

G

roups

Figure 11.1: The Age Structure of the Engineering Labour Force in 2011 and How it has changed since 2006

AUS Men 2006 AUS Men Change to 2011 OS Men 2006 OS Men Change to 2011

engineers increased marginally from 41.7 to 41.9 years. This was the result of countervailing changes at different end of the age range. The number of Australian born men increased by 16.80%; three young age groups, 25 to 29 years, 35 to 39 years and 40 to 45 years grew faster than this. Similarly, three older age groups, 55 to 59 years, 60 to 64 years and 65 to 69 years age groups also had above average growth. However, the middle age groups, 45 to 49 years and 50 to 54 years, had below average growth. There was a similar pattern for overseas born men. Immigration rules favour young skilled migrants and it was no surprise that there was above average growth in the 25 to 29 years, 30 to 34 years and 35 to 39 years age group. There was also above average growth in the 60 to 64 years, 65 to 69 years and 70 years and over groups. But there was below average growth in the middle age groups; 40 to 44 years, 45 to 49 years, 50 to 54 years and 55 to 59 years.

The average age of women engineers increased from 36.5 to 37.2 years. In the case of Australian born women, all age groups from 35 to 39 years to 60 to 64 years experienced above average growth while age groups younger than 30 years experienced below average growth. Overseas born women showed a pattern similar to men with above average growth in older age groups offsetting above average growth in younger age groups while middle ones experienced below average growth. This combination suggests that the average age of women did not experience as large an increase because of the influence of these changes for overseas born women.

Figure 11.2 reproduces Figure 11.1 to examine the changes that have occurred for engineers employed in engineering occupations. The same approach is used in this illustration.

The average age of engineers employed in engineering occupations barely changed between 2006 and 2011. In the case of men the offsetting changes observed in Figure 9.1 were repeated for both

Australian born and overseas born men. In the case of women, Australian born women experienced above average growth in age groups from 35 to 39 years to 60 to 64 years and below average growth in age groups younger than 35 years. In the case of overseas born women, the offsetting pattern observed for men was again evident.

Table 11.1 appears to suggest some stability in the average age of engineers, whether employed in engineering occupations or more generally. However, when the components of change in individual age groups are examined, this stability is shown to be the combined effect of opposing changes at younger and older age groups. However, the passage of time could quickly erode this stability. In 2011, the first

16.00 14.00 12.00 10.00 8.00 6.00 4.00 2.00 0.00 2.00 4.00 Under 20 years 20-24 years 25-29 years 30-34 years 35-39 years 40-44 years 45-49 years 50-54 years 55-59 years 60-64 years 65-69 years 70 years & over

% in Age Groups

A

ge

G

roups

Figure 11.2: The Age Structure of Engineers in Engineering Occupations in 2011 and how it has changed since 2006

AUS Men 2006 AUS Men Change to 2011 OS Men 2006 OS Men Change to 2011

group, older men accounted for 19.1% of the engineering labour force. These men are moving closer to retirement decisions; decisions that could be influenced by adverse labour market conditions such as exist at present. By now in 2014 many may have already taken that decision. The proportion of women in these older age groups is much less, just 6.1% of women, and the impact of their retirement will not be as great. In aggregate 17.6% of the engineering labour force was in age groups 55 years and over and when they retire will have a profound influence on average age.

The impact of retirement on engineers in engineering occupations could be almost as great; 17.4% of men and 3.5% of women in engineering occupations in 2011 were aged 55 years or more. This was 16.0% of the overall group employed in engineering occupations.