Census 2011:Labour Market and Transport in Scotland

13th August 2014

A National Statistics Publication for Scotland.

The statistics published today by the Registrar General for Scotland on the Scotland's Census website (http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk ) present further details on labour market and education (Release 3G), from national to local level.

Key points - Release 3H

Industry by sex by age

2.5 million people between the ages of 16 and 74 reported they were in employment in the week before the census.
‘Health and social work’ and ‘Retail activities’ were the largest two industry sectors at the time of the 2011 Census, each accounting for 15 per cent (377,000) of people aged 16 to 74 in employment.
90 per cent (145,000) of those who were employed in ‘Construction’ were male. In contrast, 80 per cent (303,000) of people who worked in ‘Health and social work’ were female.
The proportion of people in employment in ‘Retail activities’ increased with age: it was 35 per cent of those aged 16 to 19 but 12 per cent of those aged 45 to 64.
Hours worked by sex by age

In 2011, of the 2.5 million people aged 16 to 74 in employment the week before the census, 28 per cent (706,000) were employed part time (30 hours or less a week).
The proportion who worked on a part time basis was highest for those aged 16 to 21 (55 per cent) and aged 65 to 74 (46 per cent).

Full time employment was highest amongst the 25 to 29 age group, at 79 per cent (209,000) of all people in employment.
The proportion of people aged 16 to 74 in employment who worked on a part time basis was much higher for females than males, 44 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.
Occupation by economic activity by sex

Of the 2.5 million people in Scotland aged 16 to 74 in employment, 88 per cent (2.2 million) were employees, 9 per cent (219,000) were self-employed without employees and 3 per cent (83,000) were self-employed with employees of their own.
The three occupations with the highest proportion of the working population were ‘Professional occupations’ (17 per cent), ‘Associate professional and technical occupations’ (13 per cent) and ‘Skilled trades occupations’ (13 per cent).

The vast majority of those who worked in ‘Sales and customer service occupations’ were employees (98 per cent or 229,000). Conversely, those who worked in ‘Skilled trade occupations’ had the highest proportion of self employment (27 per cent or 87,000).

82 per cent (201,000) of all people who worked in ‘Caring, leisure and other service occupations’ were female whilst 90 per cent (284,000) of those who worked in ‘Skilled trades occupations’ were male.
Method of travel to place of work or study by sex by age

Of the 2.1 million people who travelled to work aged 16 to 74 (excluding those who worked mainly from home), 69 per cent (1.5 million) went by car or van. This included 63 per cent (1.3 million) who drove and 6 per cent (139,000) who were passengers. The next most common modes of transport, each accounting for 11 per cent, were travelling by bus, minibus or coach (241,000) and on foot (238,000).

Just under three-quarters (73 per cent) of people aged 35 to 74 travelled to work by car or van (including 67 per cent who drove and 6 per cent who were passengers) whilst 57 per cent of those aged 16 to 24 did so.

Of the 872,000 people aged 4 and over studying the week before the census (excluding those who study mainly from home), almost half (45 per cent or 390,000 people) travelled to their place of study on foot.

Over half (55 per cent) of children aged 4 to 11 walked to their place of study, while 31 per cent went as a passenger in a car or van and 11 per cent travelled by bus, minibus or coach. For children aged 12 to 17, similar proportions walked to their place of study (40 per cent) or travelled by bus, minibus or coach (38 per cent). For those aged 18 and over, the proportion who travelled to their place of study on foot was 34 per cent, compared with 27 per cent who travelled by bus, minibus or coach and 23 cent who travelled by car or van.

The tables of census results covered in Release 3H are listed below. They are a mixture of "Detailed Characteristics" (DC) and “Local Characteristics” (LC) tables. DC versions of tables include the most complex cross-tabulations and are therefore not available at smaller geographic areas (generally available down to postcode sectors). LC versions of tables include less complex cross-tabulations and are therefore available down to the lowest geographic levels (generally census output areas). In some instances, no LC version of a table is produced as a statistical disclosure control measure. Similarly, the DC version of some tables is produced for council areas only.