The “Service Workers and Shop and Market Sales’ industry group accounted for the highest number of persons employed – 290,700 as at July 2018.
According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) labour force survey for the month, the figure is 13,600 more than the 277,100 persons recorded for July 2017.
STATIN said the increase is also the largest recorded among the occupational groups, with women accounting for 12,300 or approximately 90 per cent of the figure.
The number of employed women in the Service Workers and Shop and Market Sales occupational group increased from 172,400 in July 2017 to 184,700 in July this year, STATIN said.
According to the International Standard Classification of Occupations provided by the International Labour Organisation, service workers and shop and market sales workers provide personal and protective services related to travel, housekeeping, catering, personal care, or protection against fire and unlawful acts, or they pose as models for artistic creation and display, or demonstrate and sell goods in wholesale or retail shops and similar establishments, as well as at stalls and in markets.
Tasks performed by service workers and shop and market sales workers usually include organisation and provision of services during travel; housekeeping; preparation and serving of food and beverages; childcare; rudimentary nursing and related care at homes or in institutions; personal care, such as hairdressing or beauty treatment; companionship; astrology and fortune- telling; embalming; funeral arrangements; protection of individuals and property against fire and unlawful acts and enforcement of law and order; posing as models for advertising, artistic creation and display of goods; selling goods in wholesale or retail establishments, as well as at stalls and in markets.
STATIN said the largest increase in employed males, 9,700, was recorded in the ‘Craft and Related Trade Workers’ occupational group, which saw their number climbing from 133,400 in July 2017 to 143,100 this year.
The corresponding figure for women, 5,200, was recorded in the ‘Wholesale & Retail, Repair of Motor Vehicles & Equipment’ industry group, resulting in their number rising to 129,400 as at July 2018.
The total number of employed persons in the construction industry group rose by 9,400 persons to 103,700, with the number of additional males getting jobs in this sector similar to the margin of increase.
However, the number of men employed as ‘Skilled Agricultural and Fishery Workers’ declined by 7,400 to 145,500 persons.
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