Occupational insights

Exploring occupational data provides valuable information about roles that make up our industries, the demographics of workers in occupations, as well as insights about how they work and how much they earn. To get this information we looked at census data for 2006, 2013, 2018 and 2023 included in our Occupations dashboard.

Key trends across occupations specific to Mukta Tangata industries include: 

Dairy farming roles dominate the workforce 

Dairy Cattle Farmer is by far the most common role, followed by Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers and Farm Workers—reflecting the size and structure of the dairy and livestock farming industries. 

Self-employment and family labour remain core 

Over half of all Beef and Dairy Cattle Farmers are self-employed or employers. Unpaid family workers also play a significant role—particularly on sheep and beef cattle farms, where they represent around a quarter of those working as Farmers, compared to just 1% nationally. 

Not just a 9–5 occupation 

Farmers, growers, and forestry workers often work long hours, with many reporting over 40 hours per week. However, the proportion working more than 50 hours has fallen since 2006—especially for Dairy Cattle Farm Workers who have also maintained their average income. 

Women, Māori and Pacific people play key roles 

Women make up nearly one-third of the workforce and are dominant in occupations such as Veterinary Nurse and Office Manager.  

Māori are highly represented in farming and shearing roles—40% of Shearers identify as Māori.  

Pacific peoples are a major part of the fruit-picking workforce, with numbers tripling since 2006 largely due to growth in the Recognised Seasonal Enterprise (RSE) scheme. 

Generational divide exists in the workforce  

Younger workers dominate physical roles such as Arborist, Forestry Worker and Sheep Farm Worker. The proportion of Farmers aged 65+ has more than doubled since 2006 for some occupations (Mixed Livestock, Mixed Crop and Livestock, and Sheep)—showing an ageing workforce trend among owner-operator farmers. 

Income varies by industry 

Forestry leads the way in high incomes—Forestry Workers earn on average around $60,000 annually. In contrast, the Fruit and Vegetable industries have the highest proportion of occupations where workers have low personal incomes—Fruit and Nut Pickers earn on average around $20,000—reflecting the influence of part-time and seasonal work patterns. 

More skills, more qualifications 

Since 2006, the proportion of workers in occupations with no formal qualification has halved, while those with degrees has doubled. Some roles—like Arborists and Forestry Workers—now require industry-recognised qualifications.   

There has also been growth in the number of workers in occupations like Technicians, Trades Workers, and Professionals, and a decline in the number of Labourers, indicating a shift in the types of roles across our industries some of which require formal qualifications.  

You can explore the occupations found within Muka Tangata on our dashboard: Occupations Dashboard.