Smart and Skilled: Industry Profile Financial and Insurance Services
Overview At a Glance: The largest contributor to the NSW economy and a mid-sized employing industry Employment is highly concentrated in Sydney A younger workforce with higher levels of formal education compared to other industries A high proportion of full-time employees and a low proportion of casuals Occupations relating to accounting and ICT/programming are nominated for skilled migration Average weekly earnings are among the highest Recruitment and retention of skilled workers and a decline in traineeships are major challenges Current concerns include fears of another global financial crisis, the impact of the National Broadband Network rollout and regulatory change Financial and insurance services 1 cover financial transactions involving the creation, liquidation, or change in ownership of financial assets, and/or in facilitating financial transactions. The industry covers the production of a broad range of products and services including: Central banking Depository financial intermediation Non-depository financing Financial asset investing Life insurance Health and general insurance Superannuation funds Auxiliary finance and investment services Auxiliary insurance services 1
Economy Financial and insurance services is the largest contributor to the NSW economy, comprising $62.6 billion in 2011-12, or 16.8 per cent of the total gross state product generated by industries 2. Figure 1 shows the contributions of all industries in NSW to the state economy. Figure 1: Total factor income of GSP in current prices by industry, NSW, 2011-12 (percentage) Financial and Insurance Services Manufacturing Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Health Care and Social Assistance Construction Transport, Postal and Warehousing Education and Training Wholesale Trade Public Administration and Safety Information, Media and Telecommunications Retail Trade Mining Administrative and Support Services Accommodation and Food Services Electricity, Gas and Waste Services Rental Hiring and Real Estate Services Other Services Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Arts and Recreation Services 5.8 5.5 5.3 5.3 5.2 4.8 4.8 3.8 3.4 3.4 2.9 2.7 2.1 1.8 1.1 7.2 9.2 8.8 16.8 0 5 10 15 20 Source: ABS (2012) Australian National Accounts: State Accounts, 2011-12 Cat. No. 5220.0 2
Economy Over the ten years to 2011-12 the contribution of financial and insurance services to the NSW economy increased from 12.7 to 16.8 per cent, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: Financial and insurance services contribution to total factor income of GSP in current prices, NSW, 2002-2003 to 2011-12 (percentage) 18.0 17.0 16.0 15.0 14.0 13.0 12.0 11.0 10.0 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Source: ABS (2012) Australian National Accounts: State Accounts, 2011-12 Cat. No. 5220.0 The majority of financial and insurance services are undertaken by small businesses, with a slightly higher proportion of small businesses compared to all industries in NSW 3. Figure 3: Businesses by employment size 4, NSW and financial and insurance services (NSW), at 30 June 2011 All industries NSW 90.7 8.5 0.8 Small 1-19 Financial and Insurance Services 93.8 5.1 1.1 Medium 20-199 Large 200+ 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Source: ABS (2012) Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits. Cat. No. 8165.0 3
NSW Professional Services Industry Action Plan The NSW Economic Development Framework sets out the actions required to deliver a globally competitive, dynamic, resilient, innovative, productive and growing economy in NSW. The Framework is a core part of the NSW Government s broader efforts to drive growth and productivity in priority sectors of the economy. The framework incorporates the Government s response to the NSW Industry Action Plans, including the Professional Services Plan. The Professional Services Taskforce was one of a number of industry-led taskforces set up by the NSW Government to develop an Industry Action Plan. The NSW Professional Services Plan was released in late 2012 and encompasses the financial and insurance services as well as the professional, scientific and technical services industries. It sets out a ten-year road map for NSW professional services and articulates the issues, opportunities and challenges it faces. It also outlines a vision for the industry and makes specific recommendations. The Plan stresses the importance of identifying highly specialised niche markets in NSW, including integrated land use planning, resource management and climate change mitigation and abatement services. Its recommendations include: better synchronising education outputs with industry needs leveraging Sydney s cultural strengths and affiliations with the Asia region establishing NSW industry-led Knowledge Hubs for strategic priority areas developing NSW as a leading centre for energy efficiency and emissions abatement services in the Asia region developing Sydney as the emissions trading centre for Australia 5. Industry challenges Industry sources report that key issues currently facing financial and insurance services include: low employment growth estimated at 0.8% annually continued consolidation of Sydney as the centre of financial and insurance services fears of a repeat of the recent global financial crisis the impact of the National Broadband Network rollout regulatory change; and declines in traineeship commencements affecting Certificate III/IV qualification levels 6. 4
Labour Force Financial and insurance services employed 166,300 people (4.6 per cent of the NSW workforce) at November 2012 7. Figure 4: Employment in NSW by industry, November 2012 Health Care and Social Assistance Retail Trade Manufacturing Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Construction Accommodation and Food Services Education and Training Transport, Postal and Warehousing Public Administration and Safety Financial and Insurance Services Other Services Wholesale Trade Administrative and Support Services Information Media and Telecommunications Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Arts and Recreation Services Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services Mining Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services 1.7 1.6 1.3 1.1 2.4 2.7 4.6 4.0 3.8 3.7 5.5 5.5 8.8 8.5 7.9 7.6 7.4 10.2 11.9 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 % NSW employment Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Nov 2012. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 Of those employed in financial and insurance services, 86 per cent are employed full time, compared to 71 per cent across all NSW industries. Women make up a slightly larger proportion of the workforce in financial and insurance services (50 per cent) than in all NSW industries (46 per cent) 8. 5
Employment in financial and insurance services in Australia has increased by 71,900 workers (21 per cent) in the ten years to November 2012 9. Figure 5: Employment in financial and insurance services Australia, November 2002 to November 2012 ( 000s employed) 460 440 420 Original 400 380 Trend 360 340 320 300 Nov-2002 May-2003 Nov-2003 May-2004 Nov-2004 May-2005 Nov-2005 May-2006 Nov-2006 May-2007 Nov-2007 May-2008 Nov-2008 May-2009 Nov-2009 May-2010 Nov-2010 May-2011 Nov-2011 May-2012 Nov-2012 Source: ABS (2012) Labour Force Survey (trend and original data), Australia, Detailed, Quarterly. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 The five years to November 2012 was a period of employment volatility in financial and insurance services employment in NSW (see Figure 6). Figure 6: Employment in financial and insurance services NSW, November 2007 to November 2012 ( 000s employed) 200 190 Original 180 170 160 150 140 Source: ABS (2012) Labour Force Survey (original data), Australia, Detailed, Quarterly. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 6
Labour Force Finance is the largest sub-sector, employing 92,600 people at November 2012 just over half of NSW s financial and insurance workforce (see Figure 7). Figure 7: Employed persons by financial and insurance services industry sub-division, NSW, November 2012 Finance 55.7 Auxiliary Finance and Insurance Services 22.5 Insurance and Superannuation Funds 21.0 Financial and Insurance Services, nfd 0.8 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 % of total Financial and Insurance Services employment Source: ABS (2012) Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Nov 2012. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 7
Workforce Profile Across Australia, there are 25,000 employees in the industry without paid leave entitlements, representing 7 per cent of financial and insurance services employees. This is lower than the 23 per cent of employees in the Australian workforce who do not have paid leave entitlements (see Figure 8) 10. Figure 8: Employees without paid leave (casuals) and with paid leave, financial and insurance services, Australia, November 2012 Financial and insurance services 25,000 Casuals 339,600 Employees with paid leave All industries 2,178,900 7,273,600 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Source: ABS (2013) Forms of Employment, November 2012 Cat. No. 6359.0 In NSW the age profile of financial and insurance services workers is younger than the age profile of the NSW workforce, as shown in Figure 9. Figure 9: Age profile of persons employed in financial and insurance services NSW and all industries NSW, November 2012 All industries NSW 11.7 25.6 23.6 36.7 2.3 15-24 25-34 35-44 Financial and Insurances Services NSW 9.1 36.6 27.7 26.1 0.6 45-64 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 65 and over Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Nov 2012. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 8
Regional Employment Employment in financial and insurance services in NSW is heavily concentrated in the Sydney region. This industry has the highest proportion of employment located in the Sydney area (87 per cent). Figure 10: Proportion of employment in Sydney and balance of NSW by Industry, November 2012 Financial and Insurance Services Sydney 87.4 12.6 Information Media and 86.3 13.7 Professional, Scientific and Technical 81.4 18.6 Wholesale Trade 76.7 23.3 Arts and Recreation Services 74.8 25.2 Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services 74.0 26.0 Transport, Postal and Warehousing 70.8 29.3 Administrative and Support Services 70.1 29.9 ALL INDUSTRIES 65.1 34.9 Education and Training 64.1 35.9 Construction 63.8 36.2 Manufacturing 63.3 36.7 Accommodation and Food Services 62.4 37.6 Retail Trade 61.1 38.9 Health Care and Social Assistance 60.4 39.6 Public Administration and Safety 58.6 41.4 Other Services 58.0 42.0 Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services 48.0 52.0 Mining 14.6 85.4 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 13.5 Balance of NSW 86.5 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Source: ABS (2012) Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Nov 2012. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 9
Map 1 below shows the proportion of NSW financial and insurance services employment in each of the main labour force regions. Map 1: Financial and insurance services employment by labour force regions as a percentage of total NSW financial and insurance services employment, November 2012 Source: ABS (2012) Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Nov 2012. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 Map 2 below shows in more detail the distribution of financial and insurance services employment within the Sydney region, as a proportion of total NSW employment in financial and insurance services. The Inner Central Sydney region is home to 44 per cent of financial and insurance services employment in NSW. Map 2: Financial and insurance services employment in the Greater Sydney labour force regions as a percentage of total NSW financial and insurance services employment, November 2012 Source: ABS (2012) Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly. Cat. No. 6291.0.55. 10
Regional Employment Map 3 shows the concentration of financial and insurance services employment in Inner Central Sydney as a proportion of total NSW financial and insurance services employment. Map 3: Financial and insurance services employment in the Inner Central Sydney labour force region as a percentage of total NSW financial and insurance services Employment, November 2012 Source: ABS (2012) Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 11
Occupations and Growth There is a range of occupations 11 in financial and insurance services, with most employed in many other industries. Table 1: Occupations in financial and insurance services Occupations with VET level AQF qualifications available Accountants ICT Business and Systems Analysts Accounting Clerks ICT Managers Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers Inquiry Clerks Bank Workers Insurance Agents Call or Contact Centre Workers Insurance Investigators, Loss Adjusters and Risk Surveyors Credit and Loans Officers Insurance, Money Market and Statistical Clerks Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists Keyboard Operators Financial Brokers Management and Organisation Analysts Financial Investment Advisers and Managers Other Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers General Clerks Software and Applications Programmers Other occupations Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians Finance Managers Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers Financial Dealers Debt Collectors ICT Support and Test Engineers Economists Personal Assistants Industry sources nominate the following as some of the key financial and insurance services occupations and indicate the qualification level they require to enter the industry: 2211 Accountants Advanced Diploma-Degree 2232 Financial Investment Advisers and Managers Advanced Diploma-Degree 2212 Auditors Advanced Diploma-Degree 1322 Finance Managers Advanced Diploma-Degree 2221 Financial Brokers Diploma-Advanced Diploma-Degree 5522 Credit and Loans Officers Certificate III-IV 6112 Insurance Agents Certificate III-IV 5996 Insurance Investigators Certificate III-IV 5511 Accounting Clerks and Bookkeepers Certificate III-IV Table 2 indicates projected employment for occupations in NSW for the period 2014 to 2018. Table 2: Employment projections (occupations with VET qualifications in bold) ANZSCO Code Occupation 5511 Accounting Clerks High 1311 Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers High 5521 Bank Workers High 5522 Credit and Loans Officers High NSW employment forecast 2014-18 High forecast growth 2014-18 in NSW regions 12
Occupations and Growth ANZSCO Code Occupation NSW employment forecast 2014-18 High forecast growth 2014-18 in NSW regions 5411 Call or Contact Centre Workers Medium Northern 5993 Debt Collectors Medium South East 2223 Financial Investment Advisers and Managers Medium Illawarra Richmond-Tweed South East Far West 5412 Inquiry Clerks Medium Sydney 5996 Insurance Investigators, Loss Adjusters and Risk Surveyors Medium Mid North Coast Northern North West Central West South East 5523 Insurance, Money Market and Statistical Clerks Medium Murray 5321 Keyboard Operators Medium North West Far West 2247 Management and Organisation Analysts Medium Hunter Central West 5211 Personal Assistants Medium 2211 Accountants Low 2241 Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians Low 2212 Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Low Treasurers 2621 Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists Low Mid North Coast North West Central West Far West 2243 Economists Low Murrumbidgee 5311 General Clerks Low 2611 ICT Business and Systems Analysts Low Mid North Coast 1351 ICT Managers Low Central West 2632 ICT Support and Test Engineers Low 2613 Software and Applications Programmers Low Source: Commissioned work from the Centre for International Economics (2013) 13
Skill Shortages & Skilled Migration Skill Shortages There are no occupations associated with financial and insurance services on the current Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Skill Shortage List 12. Industry sources report a current shortage of accountants 13. Skilled Migration The Department of Immigration and Citizenship s Skilled Occupation List is used to determine eligible occupations for independent migration to Australia and identifies occupations which are of high value and will assist in meeting the medium and long term skill needs of the Australian economy. The following occupations associated with financial and insurance services appear on the current list (released 2012) 14. Accountant (General) ICT business Analyst External Auditor Management Accountant Systems Analyst Internal Auditor Taxation Accountant Analyst Programmer Actuary Software Engineer Developer Programmer The NSW Government will nominate applicants with high level skills and experience required in New South Wales in the financial and insurance services occupations listed in Table 3. Table 3: NSW state nominated occupation list, at 14 December 2012 Skilled Nominated Skilled REGIONAL Sponsored Visa (489) Visa (190) OCCUPATIONS NSW NSW Murray Riverina Northern Inland Orana Accountant (General) Management Accountant Taxation Accountant External Auditor Actuary Insurance Broker Financial Investment Adviser Software Engineer Analyst Programmer Developer Programmer Chief Information Officer Systems Administrator Source: NSW Trade and Investment (http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/live-and-work-in-nsw/visa-andmigration/state-migration-plan) Retrieved 15 January 2013 14
Education and Training People working in financial and insurance services are more likely than the rest of the Australian workforce to have a Bachelor degree or higher qualification and much less likely to have gained a Certificate III/IV level qualification 15. Figure 11: Employed persons level of highest non-school qualifications, financial and insurance services, all industries, Australia, May 2012 (percentage of employed persons) 50 45 40 43.9 Financial and insurance services 35 30 25 28.7 All industries 30.7 35.1 20 15 10 5 0 13.6 10.8 Bachelor Degree or Advanced Diploma/ higher Diploma 19.4 7.8 2.8 3.4 Certificate III/IV Certificate I/II Certificate n.f.d. Without non-school qualification 0.6 1.2 Source: ABS (2012) Education and Work, Australia, May 2012. Cat. No. 6227.0 In 2011, 138,717 students were enrolled in nationally accredited training in NSW for qualifications related to the NCVER management and commerce course field of education, graduates of which could also work in industries other than financial and insurance services 16 17. Of these, 13,035 (9 per cent) were studying courses in banking, finance and related fields and 11,316 (8 per cent) in accountancy, with the remainder in business and management, sales and marketing, and office studies. Only 15 per cent of all course enrolments were apprentices. Just over a half of students were studying at Certificate III/IV and just under half at Diploma/Advanced Diploma Level. A higher proportion of students are taking higher VET qualifications than in other industries. Figure 12: Management and commerce related nationally accredited training course enrolments, NSW, 2011 Certificate I/II Apprentice/trainee Nonapprentice/trainee Certificate III/IV 15% 85% Diploma/Advanced diploma 99% 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 Number of course enrolments Source: NCVER (2012) VOCSTATS (www.ncver.edu.au/resources/vocstats/intro.html) Retrieved 8 January 2013 15
Industry sources report that the most significant challenge for the financial and insurance services industry is a potential decline in new workers, with the sector focusing on recruitment and retention strategies, flexible working arrangements and flexible career paths as strategies to address the prospective shortage of skilled workers 18. Skilled staff not returning to work after a period of maternity leave is a problem identified by industry. Industry sources identify workers with the following qualifications as emerging skills needs: Certificate III level Financial and Insurance Clerks Certificate III level Insurance Broking Certificate IV level Credit Management Certificate IV level Finance and Mortgage Broking Certificate IV Bookkeepers 16
Average Weekly Earnings Employees in finance and insurance services earn on average $1,642 per week, which is more than the average of $1,396 per week across all industries 19. Figure 13: Average Weekly Earnings, Industry, Australia ($) Full Time Adult Ordinary Time Earnings Mining Finance and insurance services Professional, scientific and technical services Information media and telecommunications Electricity, gas, water and waste services Public administration and safety Education and training Construction Wholesale trade All Industries Transport, postal and warehousing Rental, hiring and real estate services Health care and social assistance Administrative and support services Arts and recreation services Manufacturing Other services Retail trade Accommodation and food services 1,642 1,634 1,632 1,611 1,479 1,474 1,419 1,414 1,396 1,369 1,309 1,307 1,270 1,234 1,223 1,106 1,008 993 2,361 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 Source: ABS (2013) Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Nov 2012 Cat. No. 6302.0 17
Notes 1 Unless otherwise specified, Financial and Insurance Services is defined by the Australia New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2 ABS (2012) Australian National Accounts: State Accounts, 2011-12. Cat. No. 5220.0. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra 3 ABS (2012) Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits Cat. No. 8165.0 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra 4 ABS definition of businesses includes only those that are profit making (therefore excluding government and not-for-profit enterprises) 5 Professional Services Industry Taskforce (2012) NSW Professional Services Industry Action Plan NSW Government 6 Arts, Communications, Finance Industries and Property Services NSW ITAB (2013) Unpublished information provided to DEC. No references for data provided. 7 ABS (2012) Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly. Cat. No. 6291.0.55.003 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid. 10 This proportion refers to employees only. When all employed persons in Australia are taken into account (employees, independent contractors and other business operators) the proportion of employees without paid leave entitlements is 19 per cent 11 Unless otherwise specified, Occupations are defined by the Australia New Zealand Standard Classifications of Occupations (ANZSCO) 12 DEEWR (2012) Skill Shortage List, research undertaken to 30 June 2012 13 Arts, Communications, Finance Industries and Property Services NSW ITAB (2013) Unpublished information provided to DEC 14 DIAC (2012) Skilled Occupation List. Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Retrieved 9 January 2012 from http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/sol/ 15 ABS (2012) Education and Work, Australia, May 2012. Cat. No. 6227.0 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra 16 Management and commerce course field of education defined by the NCVER Industry Skills Council categorisation and includes management and commerce, accountancy, business and management, sales and marketing, office studies, banking finance and related fields, other management and commerce (tourism has been excluded) 17 NCVER (2012) VOCSTATS (www.ncver.edu.au/resources/vocstats/intro.html) Retrieved 18 December 2012 18 Arts, Communications, Finance Industries and Property Services NSW ITAB (2013) Unpublished information provided to DEC 19 Survey excludes employees of enterprises engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing 18
Locked Bag 53 Darlinghurst NSW 1300 T: 9244 5429 www.det.nsw.edu.au April 2013 NSW Department of Education and Communities