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1. Ten most common occupational groups of employed persons, employed women and employed men in 2017 compared to 2012

According to the data of Statistics Finland's employment statistics, the most common occupations at the end of 2017 were shop sales assistants (103,400), health care assistants (75,400) and nurses (69,800). Over the past five years, transport and storage labourers, as well as general secretaries have dropped from the list of the ten most common occupational groups. House builders and social work associate professionals have risen to the ten most common groups.

Figure 1. Ten most common occupational groups of employed persons in 2017

The most common occupational groups were examined on the 4-digit level of the Classification of Occupations 2010. ¹⁾

In 2017, a total of 32,900 persons worked as general secretaries and the occupational group held position 12, while five years ago, its position was still 6th. At the time, 42,800 persons worked as general secretaries. Around 10,500 of those working as general secretaries in 2012 were no longer employed in 2017 or did not belong to the population.

In 2017, a total of 36,300 persons worked as transport and storage labourers and the occupational group held position 11, while five years ago, its position was still 10th. At the time, 35,800 persons worked as transport and storage labourers. Around 7,600 persons working as transport and storage labourers in 2012 were no longer employed in 2017 or did not belong to the population.

In 2017, women worked most commonly as shop sales assistants (68,500), health care assistants (67,500) and nurses (64,400). Men's most common occupational groups were heavy truck and lorry drivers (39,900), house builders (36,000) and shop sales assistants (34,900).

Shop sales assistants was the only occupational group that was included in the ten most common occupational groups of both women and men in 2017, as in all years in the past five years. The shares of shop sales assistants did not have large-scale changes for women and men either in the period 2012 to 2017. Around 66 per cent of shop sales assistants were women and around 34 per cent men.

1.1 Social work associate professionals rose to the ten most common occupational groups for women

The ten most common occupational groups of women and men have not changed much from five years ago. Compared to 2012, among employed women’s ten most common occupational groups, accounting associate professionals dropped to position 12 and social work associate professionals rose to position 6 in 2017.

Table 1. Most common occupational groups in 2017 among employed women of aged 18 to 74

Occupational group (AML2010 4-digit level)	Employed persons	Women	Of all employed women, %	Share of women, %	Share of men, %
5223 Shop sales assistants	103,407	68,538	5.9	66.3	33.7
5321 Health care assistants	75,435	67,516	5.8	89.5	10.5
3221 Nursing associate professionals	69,791	64,445	5.6	92.3	7.7
9112 Cleaners and helpers in offices, hotels and other establishments	68,676	56,671	4.9	82.5	17.5
5311 Child care workers	40,124	38,632	3.3	96.3	3.7
3412 Social work associate professionals	36,829	28,807	2.5	78.2	21.8
5322 Home-based personal care workers	31,752	28,734	2.5	90.5	9.5
4120 Secretaries (general)	32,924	28,723	2.5	87.2	12.8
5120 Cooks	41,904	27,979	2.4	66.8	33.2
2341 Primary school teachers	26,775	20,867	1.8	77.9	22.1
Employed persons among the ten most common occupational groups of women	527,617	430,912	37.1	81.7	18.3
Employed persons, total	2,327,730	1,159,932	100.0	49.8	50.2

In 2017, a total of 17,800 women worked as accounting associate professionals and the occupation group held position 12, while five years ago, its position was still the 8th. In 2017, the number of women working as accounting associate professionals was 4,000 lower than in 2012 (21,800 persons in 2012). Around 4,600 of the women working as accounting associate professionals in 2012 were not employed or did no longer belong to the population in 2017.

The occupational group of social work associate professionals rose to the ten most common occupational groups for women and replaced accounting associate professionals, in position 8. A total of 28,600 women worked as social work associate professionals in 2017, which is 8,600 women more than in 2012. ²⁾

1.2 Number of software developers doubled in five years, and dropped metal working machine tool setters and operators from the ten most common occupational groups of men

In five years, metal working machine tool setters and operators have dropped from the ten most common occupational groups of men and software developers have taken their place, in position nine.

Table 2. Most common occupational groups in 2017 among employed men of aged 18 to 74

Occupational group (AML2010 4-digit level)	Employed persons	Men	Of all employed men, %	Share of men, %	Share of women, %
8332 Heavy truck and lorry drivers	42,223	39,830	3.4	94.3	5.7
7111 House builders	38,085	36,048	3.1	94.7	5.3
5223 Shop sales assistants	103,407	34,869	3.0	33.7	66.3
9333 Freight handlers	36,321	29,430	2.5	81.0	19.0
3322 Commercial sales representatives	40,794	25,676	2.2	62.9	37.1
7231 Motor vehicle mechanics and repairers	24,207	23,151	2.0	95.6	4.4
5153 Building caretakers	25,136	21,230	1.8	84.5	15.5
2512 Software developers	24,450	19,800	1.7	81.0	19.0
7233 Agricultural and industrial machinery mechanics and repairers	18,882	18,414	1.6	97.5	2.5
7115 Carpenters and joiners	16,737	16,276	1.4	97.2	2.8
Employed persons among the ten most common occupational groups of men	370,242	264,724	22.7	71.5	28.5
Employed persons, total	2,327,730	1,167,798	100.0	50.2	49.8

A total of 19,800 men worked as software developers in 2017 Men's number as software developers has more than doubled compared with 2012. In 2017, the occupational group held position 8, while five years ago, it was the 26th. ³⁾

In 2017, the number of men working as mechanical engineers was 16,100, which was 400 men lower than in 2012. In 2017, the occupational group was in position 11, while five years ago, its position was the 10th. Around 2,700 of men working as mechanical engineers in 2012 were no longer employed in 2017 or did not belong to the population.

1) The data on occupations remained unknown for 3.9 per cent of all employed persons and for some 3.5 per cent of all employed women and 4.2 per cent of employed men in 2017.
2) The number of employed men as social work associate professionals has also grown from 2012 to 2017. In 2017, a total of 8,000 men worked as social work associate professionals, which was 1.5-fold compared with 2012. Measured by the number of employed men, the occupational group 3412 social work associate professionals was only the 34th most common for men.
3) The number of women (4,700 in 2017) has also almost tripled in five years. According to the number of employed women, the occupational group of software developers was only the 46th most common for women.

Source: Employment Statistics, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Elina Mikkelä 029 551 2973, Juho Keva 029 551 3601, info@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Updated 01.11.2019