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CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURES

Table 2.1 compares ongoing staff numbers by classification for June 2003 and 2004. Overall, there were increases at most classification levels.⁵ The increase in the number of ongoing staff at APS 1—2 (from 7721 at June 2003 to 7800 at June 2004) is a slight reversal of a very significant long-term decline, though this was offset by a substantially greater reduction amongst non-ongoing staff. It will be interesting to see whether this turnaround continues in future years. There were substantial declines in both graduate and other trainee classifications. SES employment fell marginally, both in number and proportion.

Table 2.1: Ongoing staff by classification, 2003 and 2004

Source: APSED

Despite the continued growth in representation of women in the APS, there is still a considerable difference between the classification profiles for men and women, particularly at higher classification levels. Figure 2.9 shows the proportion of men and women at selected classification levels. With the exception of APS 1, women outnumber men at lower levels, with the proportion of women falling sharply at higher levels.

Figure 2.9: Ongoing staff by classification and sex, June 2004

Source: APSED

The very high representation of women at APS 3 and 4 levels reflects, in part, the higher proportion of base grade recruits who are women.

The pattern of lower representation of women at higher classification levels is steadily changing, albeit slowly. Indeed, the increase in female representation amongst SES and EL employees continues at a faster rate than that amongst lower level staff, as illustrated by Figure 2.10. In this graph, each number is weighted using the June 1995 total ongoing staff numbers as a base.Weighting eliminates the effects that the change in the overall size of the APS has on representation. The index is given a value of 100 at June 1995, and rises and falls proportionally with the particular group’s change in the weighted number over time.

Trends in women’s employment by classification are discussed in detail in Chapter 8.

Figure 2.10: Change in the number of women at selected classifications, weighted and indexed, 1995 to 2004

Source: APSED

5 The decreases at APS 4, APS 6 and EL 2 levels are, in part, a result of improvements in agencies providing data about specific classifications rather than broadbands. For example, previously, some data was provided showing staff as being in an APS 3—4 broadband. Those broadbanded staff who were reported as being APS 4 are now able to be identified as either APS 3 or APS 4.