How
can employment be classified?
There
are four types of job. These are primary, secondary, tertiary
and quaternary jobs.
Primary
jobs involve getting raw materials from the natural environment
e.g. Mining, farming and fishing.
Secondary
jobs involve making things (manufacturing) e.g. making cars
and steel.
Tertiary
jobs involve providing a service e.g. teaching and nursing.
Quaternary
jobs involve research and development e.g. IT.
Employment
Structures
Employment
structure means how the workforce is divided up between
the three main employment sectors - primary, secondary and
tertiary. Employment structures change over time.
Countries
in the early stage of development usually have a high percentage
of the population in primary employment. This is because
most people are engaged in agricultural activities.
As
a country begins to develop an industrial base there is
an increase in the secondary sector. An increase in machinery
on farms means fewer people are needed. People tend to migrate
to urban areas to get jobs in factories.
When
a country becomes more economically developed there is a
greater demand for services such as education, health care
and tourism. Therefore the tertiary sector undergoes growth.
By this time computers, machinery and robots replace people
in the secondary sector hence the decrease in secondary
jobs.
Employment
structures are usually displayed as pie charts:
 |
 |
| The
UK has a low proportion of people working in primary
industry. This is partly because of mechanisation. Machinery
has taken over jobs in the primary sector. Also, as
primary resources have become exhausted (e.g. coal)
The UK now imports a considerable amount of its non-renewable
resources. The number of people employed in the secondary
sector is falling. This is because fewer people are
needed to work in factories as robots are taking over
jobs. The tertiary sector is the main growth area. Most
people work in hospitals, schools, offices and financial
services. Also, as people have more free time and become
wealthier there is a greater demand for leisure services.
Therefore more jobs become available in the tertiary
sector. |
Brazil
is a NIC or Newly Industrialised Country. While it is
developing its economic base there are still a large
number of people employed in primary industries such
as farming. There is a large proportion of people employed
in tertiary industries. One reason for this is because
of the growth of Brazil as a tourist destination. Also,
there have been significant improvements in the provision
of health care, education and transport. |
|
| Ghana
is an LEDC or Less Economically Developed Country. The
majority of people work in the primary sector. This
is due to the lack of machinery available in farming,
forestry and mining. Farming is very important because
people often grow the food they eat. Few people work
in secondary industries due to the lack of factories
- machinery is too expensive and multi-national companies
rely on the raw materials available in Ghana to assist
in manufacturing products. |
