Figure 49 Labour Force Characteristics

The chart highlights this apparent relationship between the importance of the cashier occupation and the relative intensity with which younger persons are employed in the sector. The essential point is that the sectors utilizing a lot of cashiers (and probably extended working hours) are able to offer employment to students and younger persons who are able to work part-time. Exceptions to this concept, in sectors, such as electronics and non-store retailers, are indicated by the relatively low use of cashiers but significant employment of younger persons. This can, perhaps, be attributed to the target demographic of the sector. The relative utilization of students is also reflected in the educational attributes of the labour force shown below in Figure 50.

Figure 50 Educational Attainment by Sector

As would be expected, the data in Figure 50 show that the sectors with the biggest emphasis on youth employment also have the greatest share of their labour force with high-school or less education. Retail does provide an initial job for many persons. This is indicated by the fact that the 31.9% of the retail labour force was under the age of 25 in 2001 compared to an all-industry average of 16.3%.

There is a general perception that retail provides employment to a disproportionate share of immigrants. In fact, data from the Census 2001 presented in the statistical appendix in Table 67, indicate that the non-immigrant share of the labour force is above the all-sector average in most retail sectors with the exception of electronics and clothing. In these two sectors, the share of non-immigrants in the labour force is only very slightly below the all-sector average. The next chart (Figure 51) shows the share of the labour force that immigrated within the last five years prior to the Census year. Retail, in fact, is shown to have a lower share of recent immigrants than the broad all-sector average.

Figure 51 Immigrated in the Last 5 Years

This chart indicates a stronger than average presence, in the census year, of recent immigrants in the electronics and clothing sectors. The automotive retailing and building materials and garden supplies sectors show a much lower than average rate of utilization of recent immigrants, less than half the national average. The statistical appendix includes a data table (Table 67) indicating that incidence of visible minorities in the labour force of the various retail sectors is generally below the all-sector average with the exception of the electronics and clothing sectors. This possibly suggests that immigrant-related businesses in these sectors are tied to sources of supply in their home countries.

One of the more significant aspects of retail is the relative strength of the role of women. Women are obviously a key part of retail's target market in all sectors and now provide a majority of the workforce.

• Women occupy a bigger share of the retail labour force (54% in 2004) than the economy as a whole (46.8%).
• A bigger share of women in retail work part time (43.5% in 2004) than do those employed in other sectors (27.9%, all industries in 2004).

The table below (Figure 52) highlights both the prevalence of female employment and of part-time employment.

The table also indicates that the very modest increase in the part-time share of the retail labour force has been focussed on younger persons rather than on females as a demographic group.