Education drives Indigenous women’s employment surge
Indigenous women have powered four decades of employment growth in Australia, with education driving their participation and reshaping workforce trends, according to new research by Australian National University and the University of Queensland.
The study examined nine sets of census results from 1981 to 2021 and found that 93 per cent of the growth in Indigenous employment over the period was due to women entering the workforce.
Over those 40 years, Indigenous women’s job rates more than doubled from 25.4 per cent to 51.3 per cent, while Indigenous men’s rates rose by just 4.3 percentage points.
Key Points
- Ninety‑three per cent of Indigenous jobs growth since 1981 driven by women
- Women’s employment rate more than doubled to 51.3 per cent
- Men’s employment rate rose only 4.3 percentage points over 40 years
- Post‑secondary education gains among Indigenous women outpaced Indigenous men
- Employment gaps narrowed in cities and regional areas, widened in remote communities
- High incarceration, housing and health issues impede Indigenous male participation
- 2021 Indigenous employment at 52.2 per cent versus 74.6 per cent non‑Indigenous
Research findings
Researchers reported that employment rates for Indigenous men and women are now nearly equal, and suggested that the next census could show higher employment rates for women than for men. The sectors drawing Indigenous women with higher qualifications include primary industry, health care and public administration, according to the study’s lead, Dr Christian Eva.
Overall, the study noted substantial progress but an ongoing employment gap. In 2021, 52.2 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 to 64 were employed, compared with 74.6 per cent of non‑Indigenous people. The researchers also observed that the 5.6 percentage point increase in Indigenous employment between 2016 and 2021 made it one of only a few Closing the Gap targets that was on track.
“If we are talking about large amounts of Indigenous men taken completely out of the labour market, it’s going to have an impact,” Dr Eva said.
Education gains drive workforce participation
The researchers linked the employment gains among Indigenous women to marked improvements in post‑secondary education, which have outpaced those of Indigenous men. They also pointed to large increases in educational attainment across Australia since 1981.
Post‑secondary attainment trends
- Australian men with a post‑secondary qualification: 8.6 per cent in 1981 to 33.3 per cent in 2021
- Australian women with a post‑secondary qualification: 6.8 per cent in 1981 to 41.2 per cent in 2021
- Indigenous women with a post‑secondary qualification: 0.7 per cent in 1981 to 18 per cent in 2021
- Indigenous men with a post‑secondary qualification: 0.6 per cent in 1981 to 9.3 per cent in 2021
The study found Indigenous women are more likely to complete post‑school qualifications as mature‑age students. This pattern, combined with the expansion of educational opportunities across the broader population, has been central to the acceleration of Indigenous women’s employment. The researchers highlighted that as educational attainment rises, participation expands in sectors requiring higher skills and credentials, including primary industry, health care and public administration.
Closing the Gap trajectory
Researchers noted a positive trend between 2016 and 2021, when Indigenous employment increased by 5.6 percentage points. Within the broader policy landscape, the study identified this as one of only a few Closing the Gap targets that was on track during that period. While the overall employment gap remains substantial, the trajectory underscores how education is functioning as a core lever for improved labour market outcomes among Indigenous women.
Persistent barriers and uneven progress
The findings show that employment gaps have narrowed in cities and regional areas, but widened sharply in remote Aboriginal communities. The researchers attributed much of the unevenness to systemic barriers that disproportionately affect Indigenous men, including incarceration and disruptions that undermine continuous engagement with schooling, skills training and higher education.
Dr Eva said high incarceration rates were a major factor keeping Indigenous males out of jobs, schooling and training, with cumulative effects on labour market participation over time.
The study also identified school absenteeism, homelessness, health issues and substandard housing as factors that hinder participation for Indigenous males. These conditions collectively restrict access to the very pathways—education and training—that have been central to women’s gains.
“A large proportion of the Indigenous population are unable to participate in those things, not because they don’t want to, but because they can’t because they are excluded for those reason.” Dr Eva said.
Researchers concluded that while participation among Indigenous women has risen significantly, structural constraints continue to shape the geography of opportunity, particularly in remote communities. The pattern suggests that closing labour market gaps will require targeted approaches that address incarceration, housing quality, health barriers and school engagement alongside educational access and attainment. The study’s results point to the central role of post‑secondary education in enabling employment gains, and to the need for conditions that make those educational pathways widely accessible.
